Jumper 2 (Own written sequel)
by GeekyZoee
Summary: I have always liked the film Jumper, release 2008 starring Hayden Christensen and Samuel L. Jackson. As I was unsure whether there would be another film out, I decided to write a sequel to the film. Jumpers are teleporters that can teleport (jump) anywhere they can visualize but their enemies are called the paladins are they are out to kill all jumpers.
1. Prologue

I have always liked the film Jumper, release 2008 starring Hayden Christensen and Samuel L. Jackson. There have been rumours that director Doug Liman has many ideas for a sequel, maybe even making it a trilogy. I even heard that Shia Lebouf will be in the sequel but there also have been other rumours that all plans for a second film have been cancelled. I was upset by this confusion as I believed the first film ends too inconclusively and there should be another film to 'fill in the gaps' and I know others share my view on trying to get a sequel made; so I decided in the meantime I will make my own sequel.

NOTE: before reading this it would be helpful to know the film Jumper pretty well and all views about the first films aren't my views but any new bits are my own views. I respect their copyright and other rights to the film and if a sequel is made, I expect no views of mine will be in there as this is my own work. This book has no connection to the author Steven Gould; who wrote Jumper the book.

David Rice - Hayden Christensen

Griffin O'connor - Jamie Bell

Millie - Rachel Bilson

Mary Rice - Diane Lane

Roland – Samuel L. Jackson

Sophie - Kristen Stewart

Jamie (my character) – Maybe Jake T. Austin but the character should be young, brown hair, cute/ loveable

Alice – I don't have an exact actor for Alice but she should be pretty, brunette (dark), short-ish hair and brown eyes

Chapter 1 was written as if it was written after all the other chapters (this is why Jamie knows more about jumping and the paladins in Chapter 1 than in any other chapter). Chapter 1 also explains the life of Jamie Bradfield before he first met David and Millie. This is why the start of Chapter 2 is the day Jamie and Alice met David and Millie and Jamie seems clueless compared to the first chapter.


	2. Chapter 1 - Story so far

I was only five years old but I remember her face perfectly, she looked beautiful and elegant, she had hazel eyes and long brunette hair. She looked calm and caring even though panic was present on her face as well, she was composed.

That was the last time I saw my mother. She was leaving me to stay with my uncle. After dad died, we only had each other. At the time I didn't understand how she could leave a five year old child behind, the child who depended on her and not even look back. Though, I didn't realise then by leaving me. She saved my life.

The paladins were after me because I am a jumper; I can teleport myself to anywhere I can visualise. Whether, it is the opposite end of the room or the opposite end of the world. I can teleport through walls and doors into any place I want and that is why the paladins kill us…

Well try.

They believe only a God should have that power, they are a religious organisation started in the 1600s. This war has been going on for centuries and neither side is backing down. They've developed their weaponry; guns are worthless against us we can teleport away in an instant so they have electric rods and ropes. The electricity stops us from teleporting and when electricity passes through us we start to deteriorate almost as if we are fading in and out of existence. Knowing our weakness they use this and kill us when we are at our weakest. I had to find that out the hard way, I had to learn. David helped me learn.

My uncle was in a state of depression after his wife left, my aunt. He wasn't a very conversational person and my aunt couldn't take it. Though he is good friends with our neighbour; we even went on joint holidays when I was younger. I never enjoyed them, they were often just fishing holidays and I hate holidays. The only holiday I enjoyed was when we visited Sicily in Italy. Our neighbour had a child my age, a couple months younger than me, called Alice. She was around a lot because she was an only child of my uncle's good friend. Alice and I became typical childhood best friends, the friendship bracelets included. She was just easy to be around; she has short brown hair and warm brown eyes. She is beautiful.

My childhood was pretty average until I was about 12. When I first teleported (jumped), my uncle, Alice and I were on our way to the supermarket; Alice always loved coming shopping with us. She enjoyed making sure my uncle and I had healthy food and pizza wasn't ordered every night.

On our way a lorry trying to dominate the motorway swerved into the backside of the car, where I was sitting. It was almost as if it happened in slow motion I could see the lorry coming towards me. I thought I was sure to be dead but before I could be touched I was outside on top of the car in front. Looking down on the car crash just below me. As if I wasn't in the car at all. I was frozen in shock for a second looking at my uncle and Alice's heads hit their air bags. I quickly got down off the car and checked to see if they were alright. Luckily, they escaped with only a couple of bruises. Most of the damage was at the back of the car, any mortal would have died in seconds. Alice was very thankful that she won the argument to sit in the front of the car, that day.

Wanting to find out what happened to me that day; I tried to make it happen again to prove to myself that I wasn't crazy. After several attempts I managed to do it again and I teleported to the other end of the room. It felt like I wasn't there and I for a millisecond was invisible and then reappeared across the room almost falling over. Alice took it upon herself to help me learn how to control my jumping because all you have to do is think about being in a familiar place and you'll be there, within a second. She decided to help me after I was once walking home from school with her tired and wanting to go to bed and then I was there. Coming to terms with my power would have been a lot harder without her. Not wanting to become a science experiment by the Government I became Alice's.

It was our secret, we didn't tell anyone; not only because they would think we were insane but because we enjoyed spending time together 'experimenting'. I tried teleporting to places I was familiar with first such as across the road, from my house to Alice's and then I tried a place I had never been before, Hawaii. I looked at a picture in a magazine of a resort in Hawaii and I closed my eyes and I imagined myself there but I didn't move. I didn't even flinch.

Alice and I assumed it was because I had never been to Hawaii before so I couldn't properly imagine I was there. Closer places were easier, if I wanted to go across the room I wouldn't even need to close my eyes I would just go there. Teleporting became as easy as breathing. I can teleport really fast, which came in handy when I needed alone time.

When I was 16, I only jumped at night and avoided attention when possible. One day, as I was teleporting from Alice's room to mine, she held my arm to stop me from going but just like magic, she teleported with me. We were both standing in my room. I remember her smile when she realised she was in my room and teleported for herself. The kind of cheesy grin that lit up her face. Then she burst out laughing at my room because it was messy; I didn't think my room was that messy but she never let that one go! I covered her mouth with my hand lightly and told her to shush because my uncle was asleep and I wasn't ready to explain why she was in my room, near my bed. After that Alice and I teleported everywhere together, it was our thing. She was so happy that she could teleport with me.


	3. Chapter 2 - Present day and Counting

Alice and I are seniors now, both 18, started dating recently; this was inevitable really. We still teleported almost every night. Though this night was different. Nothing remotely odd or out of the ordinary ever happened before this night.

Alice and I had teleported to a shop out of town; the furthest we had been out of town. Normally, when I teleport I know exactly where I am going to go but today was an exception. I felt drawn to this street as if I had to go there and my mind just took me here. It looked familiar even though it was only dimly lit by the street lights. Alice knew something was strange, but acted cool about me bringing her to a strange place, that was just like Alice. She is a calm girl, always calm.

'This is new', Alice commented by looking around the street.

'Yeah', I laughed.

'So, why did you bring us here?' Alice casually asked while smiling.

'I don't know, I felt kind of drawn here', I mumbled.

'Probably because of the sweet shop', she said pointing to a small sweet shop that we were standing next to. I laughed and said, 'You know me too well!'

Alice smiled at me and I returned her smile with a wink. Her smile always made me feel better and safe; she was just a safe person to be around. She always has been. Then I realised she was staring at something behind me, I followed her gaze to a couple holding hands a little further down the street. The boy had blond hair low cut, in his late 20s, he had a leather jacket on with jeans; he looked rather tanned to be from around here as it is mostly rainy here. The girl had chestnut brown hair, in her earlier 20s, she was wearing a small coat and underneath a black dress and she also looked rather tanned. I was staring at this couple watching them whisper into one another's ears. They reminded me of Alice and me, so I wrapped my hand around Alice's shoulder. Then the couple held hands and disappeared. Then they reappeared further down the street and still holding hands they vanished.

I was dumbfounded! They just teleported, down the street and then away somewhere again. Just like I can… My mouth was open and I turned to glance at Alice whose face had resembled mine. Confused about the situation she grabbed my hand and we teleported outside my house. I thought about taking her to my room but then decided against the idea and teleported to her room too stunned to speak; I leant over and kissed her forehead gently narrowly missing her dark brown hair and teleported to my room which felt oddly cold, strange.

That night all I could think about was the couple; I had so many questions to ask, who were they? How many of us are there? How could I be so naïve to think I was alone, to think I was special somehow? Was there anything I didn't know but needed to? Were we related or something? I wanted to know everything, I needed to see them again and execute the interrogation!  
Alice and I talked all the way to school about last night and we both shared the same curiosity about the teleporting couple and decided to go back to the street we were at yesterday to see if they'd came back.

'So, if we see them we can ask them questions that we have about teleporting and stuff', Alice said while leaning on the front gate.

'Yeah, I thought I was the only one wondering if they knew more about it or if there were clueless like us' I mused.

'Guess not and we aren't clueless exactly', she shrugged.

I copied her gesture and asked, 'meet me here, after school?'.

'Sure, then let's go there straight after', she said.

'Yeah okay and I have money so we can buy something when we get there', I said thinking about the sweets I could buy.

'You always think about food', she grimaced.

Then we both burst out laughing. I walked her to her first lesson, Biology with Mr Reece he hated me so I smiled at him when I left Alice at his classroom door, late. On my way to class I couldn't help but think about after school and what could happen.

Straight after school (which dragged), I met up with Alice in the agreed spot.

'Hey Jamie', Alice said softly, when she said my name it was electric.

'There you are', I smiled at her.

'Let's go then', Alice giggled.

At this we held hands and walked to an alley way near school. When we were in the clear we teleported to the street that was becoming far too familiar to me now. Alice and I don't normally teleport when it's this light but this anxiety cannot be tamed. We waited at the shop, darting our eyes, looking, searching for the couple again. An onlooker would have assumed we were crazy, starring at everybody who passed, not saying a word to each other. Frustration didn't even allow me to buy sweets; I was too frustrated to eat. It was getting dark so we decided to head home and avoid our parents started a search party for us.

Teleporting our way down the street, darting our frustrated eyes, street by street but when we were a few blocks away from our near our houses I had this strange feeling we were being followed. I could also hear muffled footsteps behind me. This was strange as I am too fast to be followed by a mortal even in a car. Alice gripped my hand tightly; I could tell she was scared which for Alice took a lot. I then held her in my arms and jumped into the air and teleported of the ground and straight to her room without even looking backwards. I gently placed Alice on her bed and tried to force a comforting smile at her to hide my fear but failed. I wanted to stay with her all night but I knew my uncle would flip if I didn't arrive home so I whispered, 'bye Ali' and teleported to my room. When I left I heard a faint, 'Be careful Jamie'.

In my room it felt cold again, my uncle probably left my window open. When I went to close it, I looked out of the window just to check if anything was there, to give me piece of mind on whether I was being followed before. To my misfortune, there was a man dressed in some sort of uniform, noting down something, taking a long hard look at the house. I closed the curtain slowly and made a small gap in the curtains for me to look through. As I peered through a small gap at the uniformed man and he then made a call.

He looked very dark, scary looking, his uniform didn't look like army uniform; it was a navy blue though. All I heard of the muffled conversation was, 'I followed a jumper down to his house, I will continue observation'. His voice was authoritative and cold.  
I stepped back, gasping for air, trying to register what I had just seen. More questions burned my head, fear boiled inside me but I put out the fire for tonight and tried to get to sleep. I squeezed my eyes shut and tried not to think of what I had just witnessed.


	4. Chapter 3 - To Sicily and back

I was quiet in the morning, my brain was trying to remember how to breathe normally but my uncle wasn't fooled.

'Why so quiet?' he said trying to sound casual.

'Just Tired', I whispered thinking the quietness of my voice will enforce the idea of me being just tired.

My uncle just half-smiled at me, 'Maybe you shouldn't stay out so late'.

I tried to hide my face by stuffing my face with a spoonful of coco pops.

We didn't say another word to each other but my uncle has never a man of many words but I liked that about him. Though I would have preferred conversation to delay leaving the house, I feel like a walking target right now. What if the uniformed man was there again or waiting for me at school? I must think of something else before the fear glues me to this chair.

The only thing that comforted me was that in less than a week, I was going to San Francisco and after New York. I was going with my school IT class, which I would have hated if Jeremy and Alice weren't going with me. Jeremy is my best friend, we share the love of bands but he has no clue about my little talent. That's a secret just between me and Alice. Anyway, Alice had a plan that while we're in San Francisco we would get familiar with some places so maybe one night we could go around teleporting at night.

I did tell her not to get her hopes up because I was very doubtful that I could teleport across countries though I haven't tried.

After school today, we didn't go to the shop out of town, after the incident with the uniformed man, I decided staying in my house would be better. When my uncle had gone to sleep, Alice helped me pack for San Francisco; she doesn't think I can do anything by myself. As she packed I was on edge and wary, checking my window every second I got. I was trying to stay calm, for Alice's sake but I was fighting a lost battle.

'Can you stop checking the windows, you are panicking yourself!', she ordered but mumbled, 'and me', at the end.

'I can't help it, I'm just worried', I said looking out her window.

'Why are you worried, if in doubt you could teleport us out', she said trying to sound playful about the situation.

'This isn't funny', I said in a harsh tone.

'Okay', she mused.

'Sorry', I force a happy smile at her, 'Why do you think he said he followed a jumper here?'

'He could be talking about you or the collection of pretty blue jumpers you have', she said while laughing at a blue jumper in my wardrobe. Which in my defence my uncle gave me; he has no sense of style!

I tried to hold in a laugh but it betrayed me and came out; but I pursed my lips together to hold it in. She smiled at my reluctance to laugh and threw my jumper at me and pointed to my luggage.

'Do you think, when we are back here after San Francisco, you could teleport back there? Or is it a local thing?', Alice asked casually.

'Wow, that's incredible I was thinking the exact same thing before', I said surprised, 'Imagine being able to teleport anywhere, within a second. Anytime, anyplace in the world!'

'Well you would have to have been there before', she burst my bubble.

I rolled my eyes and then started thinking of places we had been on holiday. My uncle's idea of a holiday was normally fishing.

'Well then let's try, somewhere', I asked. She looked confused so I went on, 'let's try now, to go to a place far away from here that we've been to before'.

Understanding me now she thought, 'How about that time we went to Italy last year? Unless you want to try teleporting to one of those lakes we used to go to every year'.

I shivered at the memory; it was as if I could smell the fish from here. Ugh.

'Yeah, let's try!'

So we held hands and I closed my eyes trying to remember the harbour in Sicily. Then I opened my eyes and to my disappointment we hadn't moved an inch. So I made up an excuse not wanting to admit that my teleporting might be limited.

'I can't remember it well', I said to her. She opened her eyes.

'Hmm, wait a second, I saw something in your drawer before'. She dashed to my drawers looking, she moved so quickly I was starting to think she could teleport like me.

'Here it is!' She said to herself and then looked at me when a picture, it was of my uncle, his friend Joe (Alice's dad) and us in Italy, 'will this help?'

I smiled at her and said, 'I hope so'. I really hoped it would.

So I had a good look at the picture and we held hands again. I thought of the crashing waves of Sicily at the harbour; how beautiful it all was and then I felt a cold breeze hit me and I heard waves crashing. I opened my eyes and there we were, in Sicily! The exact spot we were in the picture, it was darker but exactly the same. I nudged Alice to open her eyes and her eyes then grew twice its normal size! We were still, just taking it all in and then I walked towards the sea.

Alice danced towards the sea and sat on the dock and said, 'This is brilliant' and smiled showing all her teeth.

'I know', I breathed looking around.

'If we had known we could travel this far, we would have come to Sicily for dinner sometime and stayed at the hotel we stayed at when we were on holiday', she said still smiling.

I laughed looking at the hotel and said, 'That would have been nice'.

'I love this', she said.

'I know', I replied, lying down and looking into the night sky.

'No, I mean finding out more about you and doing amazing things like this', she said blushing and continued, 'we could travel the world!' Even though I was only older than her by a few months she always had her childish moments.

'I would love that, but first we have to go home and get some sleep!' I teased.

'Urgh... Fine!' she said grumpily. So I took her hand and we were back in her bedroom. I hugged her goodnight and flashed back to my room, calm and happy...

Until, I saw my window open! I swear it was closed, I would know I was staring out of the curtain too afraid to open the window! I quickly went to shut it but when I touched it, I was electrocuted. 'OUCH, fuck!' I shouted, I hope I didn't wake up the neighbourhood. Through the electricity I still managed to close the window. I've never been electrocuted before but I'm sure it doesn't last thing long and isn't this strong!

I then tried to teleport downstairs to get some ice or something for my hand, to my surprise I didn't move. Teleporting was as easy as breathing to me now, the thought that all that might be gone made me freeze in shock. So I walked downstairs, this was strange I only ever walked when other people were around. I got the ice but decided to put it back as my fingers didn't feel like they were burning anymore. So I tried my luck and closed my eyes hoping I would teleport into my bed. Relief warmed my body as I opened my eyes to the wall of my room. I wonder what happened. Why did the electricity affect my power like that?


	5. Chapter 4 - San Francisco

On the flight to San Francisco, Alice sat next to me and on my other side was Jeremy. When Jamie wasn't looking Alice and I would share a kiss or two. The flight wasn't that long but Alice still managed to fall asleep, whereas Jeremy and I were too excited to sleep.

'Do you think this trip will be actually fun or do you think it will just be museums and shit?' Jeremy wondered.

'Come on this is a school trip and you can trust school to turn anything interesting boring, even if we aren't going to museums' I countered. Alice was moving around my in arms, she could hear my voice.

'That's so right, man! We should ditch when we can' Jeremy chuckled. 'Yes definitely' I said enthusiastically. 'Will Alice be daring enough to do it though' he said while looking at Alice who was asleep. 'Yeah she'll be down for what I'm down for' I laughed.

Before Jeremy could reply the stewardess offered us a drink, so I gently woke up Alice. She squinted her eyes at me and I said, 'Do you want a drink sleeping beauty?' At that Jeremy burst out laughing and we ordered our drinks.

The first place we went to was our hotel in Silicon Valley; the weather was nice and hot. The sun was burning against my skin, the sun radiated off Alice's hair, turning her hair into a reddish brown. The boys and girls of the trip were separated but I was sharing a bunk bed and room with Jeremy. That night after Jeremy was asleep; I went to find Alice's room which wasn't hard she had put a signed on the door. 'Hayley and Alice's room' even though she had been staying in that room for less than 4 hours she has still personalised it; trust her to do that! I gently knocked on the door and Hayley answered the door; she doesn't like me that much so I forced a smile at her to seem nice.

'Are you lost, Bradfield!?' she spoke with a bitter tone when she said my last name. I wonder why she hates me so much.

'Nope, this is Alice's room, right?' at my words Alice appeared behind me and said, 'sorry I was in the toilet' her apology seemed like it was to both of us.

She then grabbed my hand and we started walking until Hayley couldn't see us anymore. 'How about we meet here, instead of my room?' Alice suggested.

'Okay then' I agreed, 'Do you want to see my room?'

'Sure' she smiled.

Then in a second we were in my room, on my bed, this shook the whole bed and made Jeremy moan in his sleep.

'Shh, you almost woke him up' she said cautiously.

'Opps' I replied, whispering. After talking for another hour or so, I insisted that I take Alice back to the place near her room so that we could both sleep. Even though I could stay with her all night, Alice's company is always my favourite company.

That night I had a dream about the couple we saw, I thought about that night and what like looked like. How curious I had been about them, I also dreamt that I went after them, I wish I did go after them. As I relived this memory, I noticed that after the couple went another person followed them. He was in the shadows, I didn't remember seeing him before; maybe it was a figment of my imagination. Then my strange dream turned into a nightmare as I remembered the man in uniform outside my house and when the electricity stopped my teleporting. Jeremy hit me, interrupting my nightmare and said that we had to go and have a shower.

At our first tourist attraction the Intel museum, our tour guide was just going on and on. So as promised we ditched, don't get me wrong I was happy that Jeremy was there I just wasn't over the moon about not teleporting anywhere. It was far too easy to escape our group and as soon as we got outside we went shopping. That was obviously Alice's idea. San Francisco is so beautiful and the weather is fantastic! We went gallivanting around, making sure we weren't too far from the Intel museum. It was so much fun; we took a lot of pictures and lost ourselves in excitement.

At night, Alice and I teleported back to the museum and looked for more places. This time felt more naturally and easy because I could teleport to places it meant we could do everything a lot faster. I teleported on top of a building and me and Alice just looked down on this beautiful place. I held her head in my hands and kissed her neck and moved my lips slowly to her cheek and then softly carefully kissed her lips. Then our moment was ruined as I heard a woosh behind us. I turned round and there was the man in my dream that was in the shadow. He had short but wild hair and was wearing a leather jacket and jeans. There was something about him that looked familiar though, he also had stubble around his chin and then he flashed me a smile. I could tell that Alice was nervous about him as she was squeezing my hand this is normally a sign for me to teleport back home.

'Sorry, I didn't mean to – interrupt' he said sarcastically, he had a Scottish voice but not so husky.

'It's fine… we were just leaving' I mumbled and then teleported off the building and to the ground.

I was thinking merely of Alice's safety it wouldn't be so bad if one more person knew. They would probably assume they were crazy or that I was a God or something; I laughed to myself at the thought. Though Alice's face stopped my laughter she was staring at something behind my shoulder. As I turned around, the guy from on top of the building was behind me.

'That's really rude, you didn't even stay to chat' he joked. I was too shocked to say anything and as he realised that he continued speaking. 'You should work on being less inconspicuous with your talent'

'Sorry' was all I could manage to get out of my mouth.

'So you can teleport too?' Alice whispered it was so low I was surprised he could hear.

'I hate the term teleport it is so sciency, it's called jumping, we are jumpers' he said casually to me.

Then he teleported right in front of Alice and I.

'Jumpers? That's what that guy outside my house called me' I muttered more to myself than to anyone else.

'What guy outside your house?' the strange scottish guy asked.

'Erm, I was going home one night and this guy followed me home; he was wearing strange uniform but what was really strange was that he made a phone call and said he followed a jumper home' I explained.

'That my friend was a paladin, I'm guessing you jumped home instead of walking' he tone was calm and sarcastic most of the time.

'Yeah' I said trying to get use to the term jumper and jumping and then i asked, 'wait what are paladins?'

'I'm surprised you haven't come across one, you are not actually careful' he joked but it seemed like he knew that I wasn't that careful as if he'd seen me before. I just looked at him waiting for my question to be answered. 'Paladins are a religious organisation that kills our kind'

'Kills? Our kind?' I asked shocked.

He laughed 'you didn't think you were the only one did you? they always assume that' the end of the sentence seemed like he was talking to himself.

I didn't answer though as I thought I was the only one until I saw the couple and after met whoever this guy was.

'So, er, who are you then? Jamie's long lost brother' Alice wondered, seeming to be back to her jokey self.

He laughed again 'he wishes he could be related to me!'

'So who are you?' I asked, moving on from his comment.

'Griffinr' he said, his accent coming through in the way he said his name.

'I'm Jamie and this is Alice, my girlfriend' I said setting the record straight about Alice and me with him. Alice smiled at me sweetly and Griffin's face turned cold as if the word girlfriend hurt him in some way. Then he composed his face and turned his head to look at these three people coming towards us.

They walked in a kind of formation with silver rods in their hands and they were wearing uniform identical to the person outside my house.

'The paladins have found you now' he said with a sort of dark humour.

'They're paladins? That… er… kill us' I said and gulped.

'Let's go then!' Alice shouted.

'There's no point they'll just follow us, running won't help' Griffin said almost laughing again.

'So what do we do? Fight?' as I said the words I could feel Alice squeeze my hand even tighter.

'Yes' Griffin said and then he put his hand on my shoulder and continued with the same dark cold voice 'welcome to the war'.


	6. Chapter 5 - Getting to know Griffin

As the paladins approached us, I looked towards Alice's beautiful but panicked face and all I could think about was her being safe. So I held her hand tight and jumped onto the roof of the building which was overlooking the battleground.

'They always run away from a good fight' Griffin said, even though he was talking to me it seemed that he was referring to someone else as well.

I purposely ignored his question and held Alice in my hands and whispered into her ear 'Whatever happens, stay here and be safe.'

She simply nodded and wiped a tear from her eye. Seeing her cry was heart-breaking, so I promised myself I wouldn't get involved in the fight unless Griffin absolutely needed me; because right now Alice needs me. Though I couldn't let Griffin die when he seemed to know so much of the information I desired most.

I turned my head to look at what was happening down below and if you blinked you would have missed him. Griffin was jumping from one place to another, from one building to another; the paladins had no chance of catching him. They had metal rods in their hands that lit up the colour blue, the paladin in front had a different one, his had a sort of metal rope inside. Which he kept shooting at Griffin but it missed him every time. The metal robe then smashed through a shop front and I could just see the electricity. I'm sure that amount of volts can't be legal, though the paladins don't exactly look like the type of people to abide by rules.

The electricity could be felt in the air and it reminded me of the night in my bedroom when I received an electric shock and it stopped me from jumping. Then I put the two together and it hit me, a paladin had been in my room that night. The realisation sent a chill down my spine.

CRASH. This sound was enough to break my concentration it came from the battle scene below and to my surprise it was Griffin who had slammed a paladin head into the floor at full speed. This guy was a bad-ass fighter as I watched him fly around; I gained a lot of respect for him. Then he jumped just behind his next target and grabbed his shoulders, jumped to the top of the building across mine and dropped him off. He just let the paladin fall from about 20 feet from the ground. The paladin screamed in fear but before he hit the floor, Griffin jumped and caught him with one hand and slammed him to the ground. This way of fighting came effortless to him; he had definitely run into a few paladins in his time.

As if that wasn't enough, he grabbed the paladin again and jumped to the other side of the street and just threw him against the wall, he was left motionless. If the paladins weren't my new found enemies wanting to kill me, I might have felt sorry for him... Might. Griffin feeling smug shouted, 'YEAH!'

Both of us thought the fight was over but then the third forgotten paladin ran up behind Griffin with a long thin metal rod struck his head. Griffin fell straight to the ground. The electric currents waved through him, I could see the pain on his face. The paladin raised his rod again and continued to strike him, I wondered why Griffin couldn't jump away from the attack but then again I couldn't when I got electrocuted. The electricity must effect our jumping which would make electric rods the perfect weapon against us; the paladins are crafty. I realised then that I had joined a war that has lasted years, maybe centuries. Griffin groaned in pain, he kept trying to crawl away but he couldn't escape. I had to help him. I turned towards Alice and she knew what I was planning to do, she stroked my face and slowly whispered, 'Please be careful' I nodded in response and turned to face the ground.

Adrenaline shot through my body and I stood up, took a deep breath and lunged myself of the building screaming, 'GRIF-FIN!' I thought my theatrical approach would distract the paladin long enough for Griffin to get away. Then before I hit the ground I jumped, on top of the paladin's shoulders and tightened my legs around his neck. His neck was tough so I tried to copy one of Griffin's moves and jumped with the paladin to the edge of another building. I could feel the paladin trying to wriggle out of my grip on him; he was fearless and the building was very high; was he not afraid of falling, or maybe he hoped to kill us both. Before I could move the paladin lost his balance and we slipped off the building tumbling to the ground. Though I made sure he broke my fall.

As the impact hit I heard his legs break it was disgusting; revolted by this I jumped off him and with my eyes scanned for Griffin. Though he wasn't there, he must have jumped away when I was busy falling off a building for the second time.

THWACK. Something electric hit my leg and paralysed me to the ground. The electricity was so much; I was shaking and curling myself into a ball. I didn't turn around to see who it was but I guessed it was the paladin who fell with me off the building. Any attempts of jumping were futile, I could hardly think anymore; I just laid there shaking. My body was tensing and my brain felt numb; I would have screamed in pain but I couldn't get anything out of my mouth.

I thought I was going to die but then out of nowhere a car smashed into the paladin, running him over. The car seemed to come out of thin air as if someone jumped with the car.

My assumptions were right Griffin was in the driver's seat of the car, smiling at me. I smiled back at him but my eyes were distracted, admiring his car; it was a shiny black sleek convertible and still intact from the blow. Now staying long to drool over the car, I jumped to the top of the building where Alice was, grabbed her hand and jumped into the car. I placed her at the back of the car and I jumped to the passenger's side. The action was so quick; Alice was in a daze by it all! Or maybe she was just in awe at the car.

'Nice ride' I said looking around the inside of the car.

'Not mine' Griffin laughed, 'I borrowed it from Tokyo.'

I laughed at his comment assuming he was joking but then again it was possible. So I decided to question him:

'You went to Tokyo and back in that short time?' I said sarcastically.

'Yeah and I would have been quicker but I wanted to get a really nice one' he said as he put on these dark sunglasses and reeved the engine sound was smooth but it still roared fiercely.

'Oh, I thought you were going to say you one it in a street race' Alice joked. I laughed at her comment because the car already looked like something out of a fast and furious movie.

'I could have but your boy-friend would have died' Griffin again seemed to struggle over the word boyfriend but neither Alice nor I questioned it. The car glided over the road, even though we were going at 100 miles per hour it felt like we were going at 20 because it was so smooth.

'Where to now then, Griffin?' I wondered.

'To my lai- I mean home… but first we're going on a little trip' Griffin said with a smile gleaming his face. I also wondered why he struggled with the term home and why he almost called it a lair or that's at least what it sounded like. Griffin is very mysterious guy, but nevertheless he seems really fun and dangerous and I am up for it.

'So the adventure begins here!' I said purposely not as a question. I looked behind me at Alice and the corners of her lips turned up and then she bit down on her lip.


	7. Chapter 6 - The Adventure and The Story

Our journey started off in San Francisco but we weren't there for long as we drove, suddenly the scenery changed and we were driving down a road facing a sandy beach.

'Spain' Alice said enthusiastically; I was really happy that she jumped with us. It felt weird when she jumped with us without me holding her hand. I smiled at her and stretched out my hand behind me and held hers.

Our moment in Spain didn't last; suddenly we were in France, under the Eiffel tower. I remember coming here with my French class and standing at the top, Alice and I weren't dating then but I knew I loved her at that moment. I remember exactly what she was wearing, it was a red dress and a black leather jacket and in the sun she looked perfect. She later told me that she noticed me staring and that I was apparently I looked dazed; she thought I was sick.

My memory was stopped by the speed of the car, I let go of Alice's hand and turned around. Maybe Griffin did win a street race and it was then that I realised where we were; I had seen it in a fast and furious movie. We were in Tokyo, I felt like I was in the movie moving at a million miles per hour on nitrous oxide. Then I realised Griffin's trick; he was jumping 10 feet forward dodging cars and stepping down on the pedal.

Griffin then drifted around the corner and we were in Times Square, New York. I have never been here before but I have seen it in thousands of films and it looked better than I expected. It was lit up and beautiful; I suddenly felt so small in the world, I'd never seen anything lit up like this. Then I looked behind me and was proved wrong as Alice's face lit up and the lights around us shone on her face. Her short brown hair lit up with purple lights and her cheeks blushed. Everything around me became insignificant compared to her in that moment and then she smiled at my face.

'Just like France' Alice said while smiling. I blushed back and smiled.

'Can you guys stop being so lovey-dovey' Griffin grimaced.

'Are we there yet?' I said in a childish manner. Alice and Griffin laughed, they understood the reference.

'Almost' Griffin said. Then the car landed near a mountain, compared the weather we had been experiencing it was relatively cold.

Alice and I looked to Griffin, wondering where on earth we were and why he didn't choose a warmer place to end the journey.

'W-W-Where are we?' I stuttered due to the cold.

'Scotland of course, I decided to settle here, it's remote, quiet' Griffin sighed.

As a reaction to the temperature I reached out for Alice and held her to keep her warm; this protective action was second nature to me. In a split second, Griffin jumped away. My first thought was how could he just leave us here but my second was to walk into the wind he left behind. I didn't realise this was what was on the other end of the jump and as I walked into it with Alice we had jumped too. Then I found myself staring at Griffin inside this room, it didn't look familiar but it was warmer inside.

'Well, I was going to clean first but seeing as you followed me-' he stopped to glare at me for a second and then continued, 'there is no point.'

I could hear Alice laughing behind me, she always laughs when she sees a mess as if she is saying 'typical boy' in her head.

'Sorry, but I didn't know I could follow you' I mumbled.

'You're one of the very few than can' Griffin mused.

'How exactly did I follow you?' I questioned.

'Through my jump scar' his voice hinted there was a 'duh' at the end of that sentence.

'I'm going to pretend I know what that is…' I rolled my eyes.

He sighed and then explained, 'We jump, yes? Well the wind and energy we leave behind is called a jump scar and if you have the power to jump then this energy is enough to take you wherever the previous jumper went.'

'Ohh cool, so only jumpers can do it?' My voice was excited by the new knowledge I'd acquired.

'Yes but paladins use electricity machines to strengthen the jump scar to create a wormhole so that they too can follow us' he shuddered at the end of the sentence.

'Why do these paladins attack us?' I asked frustrated.

'Because we are jumpers and they don't believe we are allowed to have the power we do' he supressed all through his reply.

'Jealous much' Alice laughed.

I decided to get comfortable in the sofa in Griffin's house but his house didn't look like much of a house. It looked like it was made of wood like a hut. There was a kitchen area which only had an oven and stove, and then there was the living room area where I was sitting. It had a TV hooked with games, an old sofa and a table with a plate of half eaten food on it. The rest of the house was decorated with clothes and glittered with food. As I assessed the room, I noticed that there wasn't a bed or stairs leading to an upstairs. So I assumed he slept on the sofa, I shifted up for him so sit down but there was someone stopping me.

It was poor Alice, she was silently sleeping next to me; after the adventure we had been on I bet she's tired. When she slept her face smoothed out, expressionless but cute. It was times like these when she resembled a baby or a pixie; if I ever told her that she would roll her eyes I bet.

'Aren't you a tired too?' Griffin whispered.

'Not really' I lied trying not to yawn. He just smiled in response.

'So, what's your story Griffin?' I tried to sound casual but he was mysterious and I wanted to get to know him.

He laughed at my questioned and said 'what do you want to know?'

'I dunno' chagrin rushed to my cheeks and I blushed.

'Tell me your story and from what you tell me, I will answer my story' Griffin smiled.

'Erm, I live with my uncle and Alice' I looked to her and smiled 'she is my next door neighbour. We've been friends ever since I was five. That was when I moved to live with my uncle; I used to live with my mum but then erm well I don't know what happened.' My face dropped as I said, 'maybe she couldn't cope having me. I didn't know her well but I remember her face. I dream about her sometimes, I remember the day she left me well. She looked scared but I guess I'll never know why.'

Griffin's face was thoughtful and he seemed interested in what I was saying so I continued.

'I first jumped when I was 12' I am now getting use to the term jumped instead of teleported which I have used ever since I knew I could do it 'it was really funny I was on my way to the supermarket and a lorry came at Alice, my uncle and me. I thought I was a goner but then I jumped outside onto the car in front before the lorry hit the car. Then I jumped back down near the car, it happened really quickly only Alice saw it happen. After that day Alice and I turned my jumping into a hobby of ours and we started discovering things about it, together. It was sort of our thing, y'know?' Before that moment his face was calm and thoughtful but as I looked at his face now his expression was tense and I suddenly understood. His house has been oozing this truth but I didn't pick up on it. He is alone. That's why it hurt him to hear about how I wasn't and to see how I am not. Alice never leaves my side but his side is always empty.

I was suddenly too interested to carry on with my story so I asked his what his was, 'So, Griffin what's your story?' His tense face relaxed again and then it looked pained. I could tell his story was going to be a painful one to tell.

'I jumped first when I was five, it was very public and so I had to move San Diego. My parents were later killed by paladins when I was about nine. Then I was taken in by Consuelo, his niece Alejandra and friend Sam. Then to avoid anything happening to them like my parents, I built a lair in San Diego. It was much better than this dump, it was secret and cosy but it was exposed to the paladins and staying there was no longer safe so I made this place. I couldn't be bothered to make this home feel like my lair because that was more home than this place. Anyway, I tried to carry on with my life; went to karate classes and ran with the law. Soon enough one of the paladins, Kemp caught up with Consuelo and Sam.' He was quiet for a couple of seconds and carried on, 'they were killed and I couldn't save them. I told Alejandra and made sure she was safe so she didn't suffer the same fate.'

With his words my eyes began to blur but I quickly wiped by eyes before Griffin could notice as he was staring at the ground. I was just thankful in that moment that, that hadn't happened to me. I was protected from living a life of pain like Griffin did, I am lucky that I haven't had an encounter with the paladins until I saw that couple. That memory was distant, even though it hadn't been more than a month. But it felt like an eternity had past. Griffin continued with his story, when he looked up I could tell I wasn't the only one melancholy.

'Then I met Elaine Vera but I just call her EV.' His face twisted with pain when he said her name. 'EV and I became very close and at 16 we started going out, I loved her so much.' His voice broke at the word love then his face screwed up and turned sinister. 'Of course the paladins got to her family they killed her father and kidnapped her mother and brother. I saved her mother and brother but I couldn't save her father. She was very angry and we decided it would be best if we didn't see each other anymore. Then I realised it all came back to the paladins and I had my revenge. That was when I joined the war.'

I opened my mouth but now words came out, his story was definitely more detailed than mine. So much has happened in his life and he seems scarred by it. I put my hand on his shoulder and said calmly, 'I'm really sorry, man.'

'It's okay, it's not your fault' he replied.

'Why do the paladins come after your family and friends?' I mumbled.

'They hurt everyone around you, no one is safe unless they are with you all the time' Griffin's voice was low and tense.

I couldn't reply, I just looked to Alice and held her in my arms and tears rolled down my cheek.

'What about your uncle?' Griffin wondered.

Shock struck me like lightening as I realised my uncle was home and unprotected. Griffin understood my face and said, 'Go, check on him. I will stay with Alice, I promise.'

I trusted Griffin's promise and I stood up and jumped to my room, at home. My room felt cold and strange. I was instantly scared. Something was wrong. Something was really wrong.


	8. Chapter 7 - Home is where I am

I opened my door slowly and carefully but my heart was pounding, the sound filled the room. I tried to hold my breath to slow down my heart but it was a weak attempt. I decided to grab a baseball bat from my room; this was from the distant memories of my uncle trying to teach me how to play sport. I gripped the bat, closed my eyes and jumped downstairs. I went to the kitchen because I thought that was the safest place… it was.

After scanning the kitchen then hallway, I saw a hand print of blood on the wall. I tried to swallow the lump in my throat. But it wasn't shifting. I held up my bat, let out a deep breath and turned into my living room. There he was.

My uncle lay there motionless on the floor. He was covered in blood, he definitely put up a fight and the whole room was painted in his blood. For a moment, I couldn't walk up to him shock glued me to the ground, paralyzing me. Then I dropped my bat and ran to my uncle. I knelt at his side and checked his pulse. I didn't feel a pulse on his bloody hand, so I checked his neck. No pulse. Then as a last resort, I put my hands to his chest feeling for his heart. No pulse.

The pain I felt in that moment was indescribable, Knowing someone for so long and then they leave you is an awful feeling. But knowing that this is your fault is a pain unbearable. I lean on his body not fazed by the blood covering me and I just cried clinging onto my uncle as if I were clinging on to his life. Pain and anger overwhelmed me, pain because one of the people I love the most is gone and it was my fault the anger towards the person cruel enough to do such a thing. Paladins. Sadistic minds that destroy everyone around you and when you have nothing left they destroy you. But not me. I mustn't give up; I must protect the only person I have left, Alice. I will get revenge on the things that did this.

I dragged myself up from his and called 999 and explained the situation. I couldn't stay though, so I got some new clothes and said my goodbyes.

Today has been a long day.

I got back to Griffin's place and he was lying down relaxed, he looked like he was deep in thought because he didn't even acknowledge me at first. Then he saw me and his eyebrows squeezed together. Then his face fell, I didn't need to say anything; he just knew. Even though I don't know Griffin; in that moment I just walked to him and hugged him. He embraced the hug and patted my back; I was happy to know that I wasn't alone in this moment.

'You should probably get some sleep, mate' Griffin whispered pulling away from the hug.

'Yeah' my voice croaked, I was surprised I managed to get a word out.

I changed into the fresh clothes; trying not to remember that it was covered in my uncle's blood. I then moved towards the sofa where Alice was sleeping and I laid next to her. It's funny how much she missed in a short but never ending night. Sleep then took me even though my mind was panicked.

I wished so hard for a dreamless night but of course it wouldn't be. I had a dream that I could see darkness and there was my uncle on the floor bleeding, dead and still. Then I looked up from his body and there was a paladin with Alice in his arms, she was crying and his grip was getting stronger around her neck. I jumped in front of him to save her but before I could touch her she disappeared and I was holding empty air. I woke up abruptly and jolted Alice; she didn't even wake up. What if I was a paladin coming for her? Wouldn't she wake if one of them picked her up? I couldn't think about it anymore; so I shut my eyes tight and forced sleep to take me again.

'Do you think we should wake him up?' the voice said.

'Awww but he looks so cute when he sleeps' the delicate velvet voice whispered. The other person scoffed and I felt a push against my shoulder.

I strained my eyes open and I could just about see Alice and Griffin looking down on me, Griffin looked stressed and wary but Alice looked happy, bright. It hit me like a tonne of bricks, Alice didn't know. She had been asleep… my face must have looked sad and scattered because Alice's face turned panicked.

'I told you we should have let him sleep!' Alice said to Griffin angrily.

'It's not that Ali' I quickly replied, 'I'm just tired that's all.' I tried to shoot her a smile but she knew I wasn't really happy.

'Don't you think your school would realise that you weren't in your beds?' Griffin asked.

Oh. I had completely forgotten about school, San Francisco, Jeremy… everything. I feel like my life has completely changed in the last 12 hours. I could see that Alice had forgotten about everything too as my shocked face matched hers.

'Yeah, we really do need to get back' Alice murmured.

'You have a jumpsite at your hotel, right?' Griffin said.

'Jumpsite? What does that mean?' I questioned still tired.

'Places you have been before and you can jump back to' Griffin's voice suggested that I should know that already.

'Oh. Well I do have a couple' I murmured, blushing slightly.

'Okay, well you should get going' Griffin replied.

'Sure' I said and added, 'Could we – er – come back some time?'

Griffin was silent for a bit and responded. 'You might as well' he smiled at the end and laughed.

'Well if you insist. We will be here later today?' Alice smiled while dancing towards me. She squeezed me hand, even though I was sitting up on the sofa.

'I'll try and at least be in the country' Griffin laughed.

I stood up and held Griffin's shoulder, 'Thanks man, for everything.' Then I jumped to my room in the hotel and Jeremy was just coming out of the shower. So I jumped to Alice's room, well the door and I smiled at her.

'Is this the right room?' I laughed while looking at the sign on the door.

'I think so' she giggled then her eyebrows pushed together 'Griffin is a bit weird, right? You seem to get close overnight'

'A lot can happen overnight' my voice was shakier than I expected.

'Are you okay baby?' Alice knew me and she knew something was wrong.

'Not really but I'll tell you later, okay hun?' I replied with a sigh.

'Sure' Alice then put her hands around my neck and kissed me softly.

Then our moment was ruined.

'I knew you would be with your boy-friend all night!' Hayley, Alice's roommate opened the door.

'I'll be off then…' I said awkwardly and walked away quickly. When it came to Hayley, less is more and a lot easier!

I jumped to the outside of my room and knocked on my door. Jeremy my roommate answered; 'There he is! I was going to start a search party for you!'

'I was with Alice, calm down mate!' I replied trying to lift my mood.

'Ohhhh, sure you were!' Jeremy hit my shoulder and winked at me.

'Stop being so crude' I said and walked towards my bed.

'Okay, okay' he joked, 'but you have about 10 minutes to get ready before we have to go.'

'Shit' I flung my top on the bed and ran to the bathroom. After the day I had yesterday, I deserved a nice long shower. But I guess a quick 5 minute shower should be enough. I was still so tired but I had a new day in front of me.

We took a coach to the Grand Canyon, it took hours but at least I caught up on my sleep. Jeremy wasn't pleased he had to talk to the people behind me as he kept reminded me when I woke up. We got off the coach and two teachers who looked like they had been crying came up to me. Alice came up behind me at the same time the teachers came up to me.

'What's wrong Miss?' Jeremy asked.

'We need to speak to Jamie' the teacher I didn't know said. I tried to keep my face casual so that the teachers wouldn't realise the panic that washed over me.

'Er that's me' I croaked and then cleared my throat. 'What is it?'

The teacher I knew, Miss Baker said, 'Jamie, well – well – we got a call from home and I'm really sorry to tell you' tears started rolling down her face, I knew what was coming, 'your uncle is dead.'

I was frozen stiff by the image that popped into my head, him. Lying there motionless.

'Oh my God!' Alice cried as she clung onto me crying. Jeremy looked really upset and he could only hold my shoulder and look down. I was frozen and I felt deflated. Though there was only one pressing question distracting me from breaking down again.

'How did it happen?' I coughed out quietly.

After a short pause Miss Baker said, 'He was beaten to death in his house – your house.'

The image burned my mind but the pain hurt more. I opened my mouth but the words just wouldn't come out so I just nodded and walked away. Breaking the hold that Alice and Jeremy had on me, furious tears streamed down my face.

The rest of the day wasn't the same, everyone was quiet and careful. Alice was the quietest, she didn't laugh, she didn't smile and every time she looked at me she started to cry more. I could understand that though, my uncle and her were close; we were all family. When we got to the hotel, I decided I would speak to Alice, I needed to comfort her.

'Ali' I sighed and she started to cry again. 'It's okay' I whispered then hugged her tightly and squeezed me back.

'Let's get out of here for a bit' Alice said sniffing.

I grabbed her hand; no answer needed and jumped us to the hotel we stayed at in Italy. This was our favourite holiday and I thought it would be the perfect place to forget the world.

'You always know the perfect place Jamie' Alice gasped looking at the view out of the window.

I just needed her comfort so I lifted her up against the window sill and wrapped my arms around her body. I was going to say that I loved her, so I pulled back from the hug and said, 'I-'

She cut me off with a kiss, her kisses were warm and her lips were always so soft. I ran my fingers through her hair, squeezing it and the kissing became more intense. I didn't want to let her go; we were stuck in each other's hold. I smoothly crushed her body against the window not leaving even a centimetre between us and moved my hands to her waist. Then her legs wrapped around my waist and I carried her to the bed in the room. I felt her smile on my lips and I kissed her cheek and traced her jaw down to her neck and kissed there. Then we got lost in the night.


	9. Chapter 8 - David and Millie

'Never leave me' Alice whispered softly.

'I would never dream of it, my home is wherever you are now' I whispered back.

She smiled at me and stroked my cheek; I could tell she was remembering my uncle because she looked upset again.

'I saw him, when he was dead. Griffin told me that my uncle might be in danger, so I checked on him' I then took a deep breath, 'and he was just lying there, blood all over him and the walls.'

'Oh My God! Jamie why didn't you tell me?' Alice said.

'I was going to but outside your room wasn't the best place and after that the teachers came up to us. There was no time, I'm sorry' I sighed.

'It's okay, I'm just sorry you had to see your uncle like that' Alice's voice was soft and soothing.

'Want to have some breakfast?' I changed the subject.

'Mmm breakfast in Italia, molto buono' Alice said mocking an Italian accent.

'Ooo, get you!' I joked. 'You are ordering the breakfast then!'

'Fine then' she said and we burst out laughing together.

We freshened up and I jumped us to the harbour, luckily nobody saw us; but it was quite early in the morning so we were safe. Then we walked to a little Italian café and Alice ordered something in Italian.

The food looked incredible, mouth-watering but I was too hungry to savour it. I scoffed down every bite, half the time not even chewing.

'Jamie, have some class!' Alice pestered.

I just looked at her and rolled my eyes; not wanting to spit out the food in my mouth if I spoke. The hot chocolate was delicious, I burnt my tongue but I just couldn't wait to drink it. Alice laughed at me as I panted like a dog to cool down my tongue. I really didn't have time to be classy.

Alice and I walked down the roads of Italy laughing, care free. Italy was our escape destination; we could be ourselves here and just escape the world. We exchanged a few kisses near the beach and we looked around a few shops on the market while the sun radiated of our skin.

'I feel like a vampire, I'm glistening' Alice laughed.

'And your name is Alice, you could be that Edward's sister' I laughed.

'That makes you my jasper' she winked at me.

'I'm okay with that' I flashed a smile at her.

Alice's eyes then widened in shock, so I followed her gaze and she was looking at the couple. I couldn't believe it. It was the same couple from many nights ago. I just stared at Alice, confused and anxious; her face reflected mine like a mirror. I could tell that we were both thinking the same thing.

'We should go and speak to them!' my voice full of excitement went up an octave.

'And say what? Hey, we've wanted to meet you for a long time now. We've seen you before and we saw you jump. Yeah just wanted to say hey' Alice said sarcastically.

'How about we start with hello' I mused.

'Okay' Alice said and pulled my hand towards where the couple were. They looked exactly how I remembered but I could see them clearer now; they reminded me of Alice and me so much. The girl was showing the guy the postcards and he was clearly pretending to like them. I would so do that.

Alice stood right opposite the girl, picked up a postcard and looked to my confused face.  
'What about this one, Jamie' she tried to sound enthusiastic.

'Yeah, we should totally get that one!' I said almost robotically.

We had got the couple's attention, they were looking at us and the girl whispered, 'I like that one too actually.'

Then the boy mimicked my voice and said, 'Yeah, we should totally get that one!'

I couldn't help but laugh but not as loud as Alice she was almost on the floor and then said too loudly.

'He got you Jamie! That's so totally you' Alice mimicked my voice as well also.

'Oh, Alice' I covered my face with my hand.

'After we get this postcard we should go back to San Francisco' Alice said but the way she said it seemed as if I had missed the joke 'Let's stay here for an hour and then you can flash us back to America!'

I understood her now and I looked to the couple who were watching our theatrical performance. Then back to her.

'Yeah, travel is so easy for us!' I said in an obvious fake voice.

'Really? Why is that?' the boy said sarcastically, with his arms folded.

'Well, I'm not allowed to say' I loudly whispered back.

'Or maybe you can drop the act' the girl said smiling.

'What act?' I asked pressing my lips together so I wouldn't smile.

'We know we've met before' the girl said.

'And we know, one of you jump' the boy said.

'We know that one of you jump too!' I said almost childlike.

'I jump' the boy said and the girl rolled her eyes.

'I jump as well' I tried to sound manly.

'Now that, that's sorted. What are your names?' the girl said.

'I'm Jamie and this is Alice.' Alice then walked into my arms and said, 'So who are you two?'

'I'm David and this is Millie' David said.

'I never thought you'd be a David, a Chris but not a David' Alice wondered.

The couple laughed together and smiled at us but then said nothing in response. So I asked, 'how did you know I can jump?'

'We've seen you before, jumping around at night.' David explained, 'Then we saw that you had some trouble with the paladins, we distracted them a couple of times for you.'

Then mine and Alice's faces fell as we remembered what the paladins took from me. I tried to compose my face again and said, 'Thank you, we have had -trouble with them before.'

Not wanting to carry on the conversation David asked, 'do you have any jump sites around Italy?'

I then smiled and said, 'yeah, I'll show you.'

With that I held Alice's hand and showed David and Millie around Sicily, Florence, Tuscany. We had so much fun and bonded really well, it wasn't until we were in a sleek black gondola that I remembered we were supposed to be in San Francisco.

'Alice! We need to go back soon, we haven't been back since yesterday' I whispered.

'Oh shoot! Yeah' Alice said, 'what about David and Millie?'

'What about us?' Millie said. Millie was definitely the more attentive one out of the two of them.

'We're on a school trip and we haven't been back all day and yesterday night. They may have noticed our absence' I explained.

'Oh, well you should go back' David said but I could tell he didn't want us to leave.

'I don't want to leave' Alice took the words out of my mouth.

'Neither do I, we should meet again though' I suggested.

So we all agreed that we would meet at the Sicily harbour, tomorrow morning and then they were going to show us around France. We all joked about travelling the world together but I would actually do that. David and Millie were just so easy to get on with, but it made me wonder whether they had a back story like Griffin.

At the hotel, after we explained to the teachers that we 'got lost' and wrote an account about it; I stayed up with Jeremy talking. When Jeremy went to sleep, I found Alice and I suggested we should go to Griffin's home.

'I don't know Jamie, I just don't trust him' Alice shrugged.

'I trust him and trust me he is a good person. He has just had a hard life that's all' I reasoned with her.

'Okay, let's go then' she said defeated.

I jumped us to Griffin's room and Griffin was drawing. He jumped up in shock of our arrival and put away the drawing. I thought it would be best if I ask him later.

'I don't remember inviting you' Griffin smiled.

'I don't remember you banning me either' I said back.

'I'll tell you next time then' he joked.

'Want to carry on playing games? Or do you want to go somewhere?' I asked.

'Can I at least eat first?' he grinned.

After we all eat some food, which tasted like rubber compared to the Italian cuisine I was having this morning and afternoon. We set off, in Griffin's car which probably wasn't actually his car but still. I decided I would get my own car and he showed me how he gets them, it's not hard. Jump into a car shop, steal the keys and jump the car out.

Once I had my car, the races began. We started in Tokyo, then New York, then LA, then Hollywood. We weren't following a speed limit; we were just feeling the wind blow my hair up. I wasn't as good a driver as Griffin but I was good enough to keep up with him, with the help of jumping the car forward as well. It wasn't cheating because we were both doing it; he was jumping on buildings and crashing down in front of me. There were no rules to this game and no rules to this new life I was leading; though surely there must be pain and fighting coming but for now I was just enjoying swerving around Griffin's car.

Back in Griffin's room, Alice was asleep again. So I took the opportunity to ask Griffin about the drawing.

'You are really good at drawing' I said starting the conversation.

'Nah, not really. They are more outlines and shadings' he said being modest.

'You are! Who were you drawing' I said trying not to sound like I was interrogating him.

He looked hesitant but continued, 'her name is Sophie.' Then he jumped to his drawer and jumped back holding the drawing but not really showing it to me.

'Who is she?' I asked.

'I wasn't always alone you know. After E.V. I met this girl, she was beautiful and I loved her but like everything else in my life it was complicated' he looked pained again, I felt bad for always digging at his past.

'What happened?' I had to ask.

'Her mother is a paladin and I told her I couldn't involve her in all of it' he explained, 'but she obviously didn't listen because about a month later she was one of them. Attacking me as if she didn't know me; I couldn't kill her, so I left.'

'Wow' I was lost for words.

'Not just that, her mother was one of the paladins who killed my parents, I couldn't be with her after that. It just wasn't fair' he then jumped and put the drawing away.

'I'm sorry, you have really been through it all' I said, 'I'm so grateful that you trust me enough to tell your past to, I can see that you don't like talking about it.'

'I don't, I've always worked alone because I don't really play well with others and things don't go well for them when I do' he looked like he was remembering something and then continued to say, 'but I need help to take down the paladins so I don't have to worry about them.'

'You want me to help?' I asked confused.

'Yeah, I saw you out there with the paladins. You are not too bad and you seem to have your priorities straight unlike others I have teamed up with' I could hear the anger in his voice.

'I will help; whatever you need me to do I will help you!' I promised him.


	10. Chapter - New Life

When Alice and I woke up on Griffin's sofa we decided to quickly head back to our hotel. I could feel my new life taking over; my life as a jumper with my friends who were jumpers; David and Mille and Griffin. David and Millie are the older version of Alice and I but look different of course. When we were all together it fit like we were supposed to be there and we laughed so much; their company was as easy as Alice's but not as fun. No one is as fun as Alice. On the other hand there is Griffin, dangerous, interesting and I felt like he was my brother. I was always interested in his stories and I had so much fun with his, I felt alive. When we were racing across the world it made me feel alive but Alice doesn't trust Griffin. I think this is because she doesn't know him as well as I have come to know him; she doesn't know why he shuts people out. It's because everyone he let in has got hurt or he has got hurt by it but he let me in because he believed in me. He believed we could win the war against the paladins and finally be free of their oppressing hold on us.

I then thought of how Griffin and I fought the paladins about a few nights ago. It doesn't feel like it has been a few nights, my new life had so much adventure it felt like time didn't apply to me. I was above it. I was jumping a lot more now, across borders, countries, boundary lines you name it and the best thing was that I was travelling with Alice.

'So how long have you two been together?' David asked while sipping French fine wine. David must have a good job because he was rich, he could afford to buy anything and he didn't hold back when treating Alice and me.

'We've kind of been together since I was 5' I smiled but David's eyebrow furrowed when I said 5. Maybe something happened when David was 5.

'We started dating when he turned 18 but we were basically dating before that, we just didn't realise it' Alice and I laughed because she finished my sentence.

'Aww, that's nice' Millie smiled, 'David and I have been childhood friends too.' Millie didn't have the same distracted look on her face as David has on his so I had to ask, 'Are you okay, David?'

'Erm, yeah' David hesitated and continued, 'I just wanted to know why you said you've been together since you were 5.' His question – statement was very weird but I answered.

'Well my mum left when I was 5 and I have stayed with my uncle ever since' I shrugged but my face fell when I realised that me staying with my uncle was now a past event.

'Why?' David almost choked on the word.

'Because my erm uncle was lonely and so my mum dropped me there, I think' I mumbled.

'Where did your mum go?' David asked carefully as if he knew it was a touchy subject.

'David, give the kid a break' Millie joked.

'No it's okay, my mum left I have no idea where she went and she never even told my uncle where she was going either' I shrugged again. 'Why are you curious?'

'Well, my mum left when I was 5 so I lived with my dad but he wasn't much of a dad until before he died. My mum left because I first jumped when I was 5, that is when every jumper first jumps' he then looked to me as if he was giving me a clue.

'Oh' I said. I may have only managed to say one word but there was so much thought behind it. What if my mum left for the same reason David's did? What if the paladins had something to do with my mum's disappearance? I shuddered at the thought.

'I've always wanted to take a trip down the River Seine on board the Bateaux Parisiens Cruise. It is the best way to see many of Paris' famous landmarks and sights.' Alice read out from a brochure attempting the French words. Italian is more her thing.

Then we cruised down the River Seine; funded by David of course. I wanted to ask him where he got the money from, was he robbing banks that I didn't know about.

'Do you have a house, where you stay from time to time?' Alice asked Millie in small talk.

'In New York, here in Paris and California' Mille replied.

'Wow, you are really living the life' Alice said impressed. 'Are you and David in banking or something?'

David and Millie burst out laughing, while Alice and I were staring at each other confused at what was so funny.

Awkwardly I turned to David and changed the subject, 'so have you had any trouble with the paladins?'

'A lot of trouble; not so much now, we are more inconspicuous now' he talked casually.

'Ohh, well I have too, it seems like our trouble is just beginning' I tried to sound casual though I know that it is and it'll get a lot worse. 'Wouldn't it be amazing if we were free from the paladins, if we defeated them?'

'Yeah, but that will never happen this is a war that has gone on for centuries and even if we kill 50 of them. The next generation will come again, it will never be over! All we can do is hide and not let the paladins find us' David explained.

'Oh well are you in for killing 50 and buying us some time?' I laughed.

David's face looked like he was thinking about something and someone which made his response hesitant. 'Hiding is safer; fight them when they come to us.'

Finding out more about David was interesting; he didn't share the same views as Griffin when it came to the paladins. Maybe there was a reason for that? I need to ask him what his story is. It seems like every jumper has a story and I guess this is a part of mine.

Back to Griffin's room, funny how I have never walked in out of this room; maybe it doesn't even have a door. As Griffin is opening up to me, I want to open up to him I'm going to tell him about David and Millie. Alice seems reluctant to be here so I insisted that she stays awake for the evening this time.

'I'll try but his sofa is really comfortable and you always come here in the night. Night is for sleeping' Alice whispered.

'Not always' I winked at her.

'Get a room will ya!' Griffin exclaimed.

'We are in one' I gestured to the room. 'Y'know I've never used the door to get out of this place.'

'There isn't one, you can only get in here from jumping' griffin smiled. 'That's the only reason you two are here' he sighed dramatically.

'As if you don't want me here' I winked at him. 'So what do you do during your day? Or are you just a loner waiting for us?'

Griffin burst out laughing, 'you only come here because I am only here at night. I am out all day, killing paladins, getting information y'know. So what do you boring people do all day?'

Griffin's day seemed really exciting, I looked to Alice almost to tell her that we should stay here all day and follow Griffin around. Her face was the opposite she didn't like the sound of his day; she was scared the last time I was fighting the paladins so I don't think she'll like this. It just seemed dangerous to be around Griffin but I liked the danger. David was too safe. Or maybe I just hadn't met his dangerous side? Cutting my train of thought was Alice.

'Well all day we were in France with our friends. When we are with them, we don't have to jump everywhere giving me a headache and we can just relax. No killing. Just peace' I didn't recognise Alice's tone but I think it was boastful. Very boastful.

Griffin burst out laughing, 'as I said boring stuff.' Alice's face dropped I could tell his laughter hurt her feelings so I defended her. 'It was actually really fun and the weather in France is great. We should ride there sometime.'

'Oh, nice' Griffin mused. 'Tomorrow I'll go motorcycling there.'

'Or how about now?' I said excitedly not looking at Alice's face because I knew she wouldn't like it.

'See you there, Jamie' griffin then vanished into a gust of wind. I grabbed Alice's hand and went to go but she was pulling me back.

'You go, I'll sleep here' Alice sighed.

'I won't go if you don't want me to, babe' I said wishing she would just come with me.

'No, I'm actually really tired from France. You go, you know I'm safe here' she smiled.

'Okay but I'm sorry' I held her for a second and then quickly kissed her. 'I'll be here before you wake up' I winked again.

'Sure, sure' she smiled and fell back onto the sofa. With that I jumped into the wormhole which I could feel it closing but I was just in time. Then I was in France it was dark but there was a motorbike waiting for me and another one I'm guessing for Alice. This made my face drop because Alice should have come; Griffin even got a red motorbike for her.

'She's not coming, too tired' I said.

'Okay, well unless you want the red one, this one is yours' Griffin gestured to the black shiny bike. I revved the engine and Griffin revved his in response. Then we were flying in the wind, down the French open road.


	11. Chapter 10 - Griffin's World

Speeding down the open road with Griffin was fun; I won the race this time. To be fair to Griffin he nearly got run over at one point but he jumped out of harm's way but he was a bit wary after that. I couldn't stop thinking that Alice was missing all of this and I am definitely telling her that Griffin laid out a bike for her to ride. Maybe I should get Griffin and Alice to talk; that way they will know each other better. It was getting really dark now; it must have been the middle of the night. Well in France at least.

'We should do one more lap then go back' I suggested.

'Yeah, sure' Griffin then smiled crookedly with one side going up. 'Race you to the end of the road.'

Before I could say anything he had zoomed ahead of me. Cheater. I sped after him but never quite got in front of him, he was doing wheelies and jumping into the air and spinning it around in the air. He was obviously showing off but I wanted to do tricks like him, so I increased my speed and lifted the stop of the bike up and for about a second I was doing a wheelie. Then that second was over and the back wheel came forward as the wheel in the air was tipping back. Before I could say 'Griffin' I was rolling on the ground as my bike slid across the floor, roaring.

Griffin jumped back in a flash and then stood above me laughing.

'Oh mate, that's not quite how I did it' Griffin laughed.

I just rolled my eyes and struggled up and felt the weight of my body pull me back down again. Before I could fall Griffin grabbed my arm and scoffed at me.

'Let's go, I have a first aid kit at home' Griffin said in a professional tone. I was shocked by the word home he used as he doesn't really refer to it as his home normally but I ignored it.

At Griffin's room; he put a plaster on my eyebrow and bandage on my wrist. I did have other injuries but he just gave me some ice to heal those, he had a lot of ice packs. I wanted to ask why but I guess he gets hurt while fighting the paladins and needs to be treated. Alice was fast asleep but she doesn't snore she just looks peaceful and a lump sat in my throat at our little argument before I left.

As Griffin leaned for the ice pack I noticed there was a scar on his neck and I had seen one on his arm before, maybe these fights were as dangerous as Alice thought but I still want to fight them. For everyone who is close to me, especially Alice because to the paladins she is just an obstacle.

'Where did you get the scar from?' I asked.

'What one?' Griffin said smiling a dark smile.

'The one on your neck' I tried to sound as if I hadn't seen anymore.

'That was Roland, he has given me two' Griffin almost spat out his name. 'I've given him broken bones and a scar on his back though. That was an epic fight.'

'Wow' I replied in almost in awe. 'I'm guessing Roland is a paladin.'

Griffin scoffed again, 'yeah. He also was involved in killing my parents.'

'Is he dead?' I asked totally engrossed in conversation.

'Maybe, I've been tracking him since I lost him about 3 years ago or has it been 4. Anyway, I was so close to killing him but then David this other jumper got in my way and then tried to kill me' Griffin's face screwed at the mention of David but his face looked bewildered at my expression.

'D-D-David Rice!? Is that the David?' I asked after a full 7 seconds of silence and shock.

'Yeah that was his name and his mum, Mary Rice. Paladin.' The disgust was apparent in his face but I was aware at who Mary Rice was, she was one of the paladins that killed Griffin's parents. 'What is it? Do you know him?'

'Yeah… when Alice told you we were out with friends all day it was them. Griffin, I'm sorry I didn't know! If I knew I would have brought him to you or or something!' I exclaimed.

'What a small world' Griffin sighed.

'Yeah, right' I said trying to analyse Griffin's thoughtful face, then his face screwed.

'Remember when I told you about Sophie. She is David's brother.'

'And the world gets even smaller' I said sarcastically.

'I bet David still thinks I'm dead' Griffin laughed coldly.

'What happened?' I sat down in my normal story listening space but Griffin stayed standing this time, so I stood up again.

'We teamed up to save his girlfriend and he brought her to my lair and the paladins followed us there. They then used their machine to drag her back through the wormhole but all the paladins were in one room so I wanted to blow them up. Even Roland was there but David disagreed because his girlfriend was still in there but I was really driven back then, so he left me to die inside a transmission tower but it was in the middle of a war zone. A tank or something hit the tower and blew me out of it; after that it took me a while to be comfortable around people, well my version of comfortable and I dunno with you I seem to be. But with everyone else I'm just not' he glanced at Alice then back to me, 'I see myself in you when I was 16 and I just feel like I needed another jumper to help me at that time. So I thought I would try being yours, I'll show you how to have fun and kill paladins. Then when this is all over I can have another go at my life' Griffin sighed and smiled at me. 'Now go to sleep before you have to go in the morning.'

'Okay, but Griffin' I waited for him to turn around and when he did I continued, 'I won't ever turn against you and what David did was horrible but let's hope he killed Roland for us' I smiled and it felt evil.

I always wondered why Griffin always opened up to me and liked to have me around but I think it is because he hasn't had anyone to pass on his story to until me. He was also educating me about what I didn't to do to not get killed and avoid people in my life being killed. Griffin seems to have sacrificed a lot, he had lost everything and I can't blame him for wanting a couple of people around. Then I thought about Griffin's battle scars and thought about me getting them someday. Not a lot just enough to look hard; that would probably impress Alice.

'Oh, I never knew. Poor Griffin' the soft voice said. 'Why didn't you tell me? I never understood you before but I get you now!'

'It's okay, I just wanted to tell you because I like having you and Jamie around and I'm going to need Jamie's help with the paladins and you need to know why it is important' the huskier voice said.

'Just make sure you look after him, he isn't as tough as he seems' the soft voice said and I felt a warm finger stroke my cheek.

'I will and after this the paladins won't come after us for a while and we can both have some peace. I never meant to cause friction between you two' the husky voice laughed.

'It's fine, it was my fault anyway. I'm just really sorry, I never gave you a fair chance' the soft voice was shaky.

I opened my eyes and Alice's hand was on my cheek and across her was Griffin who looked calm. I saw his face and I knew, he had told Alice his story so she would understand this better. I sat up and wiped the tears of her face and smiled.

'Morning sleepy, it's the middle of the day!' Griffin laughed.

'Oh My Gosh! What about school?' I asked.

'What about it? Really Jamie, we haven't been there in days well not properly' Alice shrugged.

'You should get your stuff and stay here for a while. A while. Then we can get you, your own place when all your school goes back to your hometown' Griffin said. Mine and Alice's face lit up, I loved the idea of living with Griffin, who wouldn't want that!? I know it wouldn't be for long because griffin is used to being alone and when this is all over he will go and find himself again without having to live in hiding.

'So what's the plan for today then?' Alice asked cheerfully.

'I don't know, what is the plan Griffin?' I smiled at him.

'Oh no. You're staying here all day?' he replied sarcastically.

'Yes, you're welcome!' I said sardonically.

After a breakfast of eggs and toast, showering and changing back into our clothes from yesterday we all started our journey for the day. I followed Griffin's wormhole to a hot beach, it was picturesque. There is no other way to describe it, the sea was washing the sand and retracting. The colour of the sand was a deep golden colour and everyone seemed engulfed by the beauty and sunlight.

'Welcome to Hawaii' Griffin said with a smile on his face.

'Wow' Alice whispered.

Wow, was definitely the word; it was remarkable.

'I don't have a swimming costume though' Alice's eyebrows furrowed together.

'You won't need it, we are going on a jet ski' Griffin smiled.

'You're spoiling us!' I exclaimed.

'We are going jet skiing then killing paladins, I thought we should do the fun thing second' he smiled a dark smile and scoffed. Alice didn't appreciate his dry humour but just rolled her eyes. Their talk really has helped things; Alice just understands now.

'You should leave me here to sunbathe when you go off!' Alice crossed her arms, she looks so cute angry. 'Try not to die because I need to get me afterwards.' She sounded so childlike that Griffin and I burst out laughing and Griffin walked towards the jet skis.

I have never felt such a rush. My hair was standing up because of the speed and I felt like I was running on water it was such a rush. Griffin was showing off again but I didn't try anything stupid this time and just raced him and Alice. She was really good, maybe even better than me. Maybe. We were jet skiing for about two hours but then Griffin checked his watch which must have been water proof and looked to me. It was time for the fun bit as Griffin put it earlier but I felt a bit nervous because I hadn't fought paladins in a while.

We left Alice to sunbathe and dry off as Griffin and I pushed her into the water. She wasn't too happy about that but I just said, 'You're sunbathing anyway, you'll dry up!'

'Yes but you two pushed me in when I had clothes on!' Alice said in her stroppy child's voice again. Griffin and I instinctively burst out laughing again.

Griffin and I were back at his room and we discussed strategies and advantage points. He knows the battleground well and he knows paladins will be there because it used to be a meeting point for jumpers. After it was discovered not so much, now it is at constant cover of paladins and Griffin is using this to his advantage. I asked him why other jumpers haven't and he said that they decide to go one of two ways, fight or hide. He also said that most jumpers are hiders and I thought of David but decided not to bring it up.

The jumper's meeting point was very open it was the Grand Canyon, up was the only advantage point here. We had been going over strategies again and then we saw a paladin attacking a jumper to my surprise the jumper looked about 13. How could they kill someone that young? I asked Griffin if we could help but he decided against it because there were 5 paladins attacking him at once. So we just crouched there watching this boy be stabbed in the heart and I watched the life leave him. Griffin wasn't watching he was looking for other paladins and then he looked at me.

'You get that tall one and I'll come around the side and kill him' his voice sounded thoughtful and planned out. The tall one was the one who had just killed the jumper child; I guess that's why we were getting him first.


	12. Chapter 11 - Trouble starts

It happened so fast I didn't even notice when I was in a headlock by three paladins. Two restraining my arms and the third taking punches at me with a metal knuckle ring; this was an electrified knuckle ring. Before the paladin gets the third punch in, Griffin tackles him down and rams him into the rock. I then trip the left paladin with my left foot and drop the other to the ground. The paladin to my right falls unconscious so I deal with the left one. I jump to the top of the Canyon and then push him off the edge. Crack. He lands on the ground and I jump to Griffin.

'Aren't you gonna thank me? I basically saved your life!' Griffin jokes.

'Yeah, yeah' I say, 'right after I saved yours!'

Griffin laughs and for a second his laugh resembles David's reminding me that I need to ask Griffin about him.

'Why do you think David teamed up with you, even though his mum killed your parents?' I asked extinguishing my previous anxiety.

'I don't think he knew, I didn't know until after', Griffin sighs to cover up the break in his voice at the end of the sentence.

'After he tried to kill you' my voice has an edge of darkness to it.

'I did try to kill his girlfriend y'know' griffin grumbled, 'but that's not the point he was childish and irresponsible back then. I didn't want to team up with him, he was a liability but I didn't want him to have the same fate I had.'

'Childish? David? He is the most responsible and calm person I know. He is even more responsible than you are' I ask wondering what version of David Rice Griffin knew.

'He's probably changed now, if this life doesn't make you cynical it makes you grow up' Griffin explains in a worldly voice.

'What do you think this life will do to me?'

'Grow up. I would never let you get cynical it is a hard shell to break out of and cynicism can spread like wild fire' Griffin smiles a crooked smile.

'I told David about my life and he told me about his but he must have skipped the part where he met you' I think aloud.

'It wasn't a good memory to share, so he probably kept it concealed' Griffin purses his lips and continues, 'we should get back to Alice; she'll be burnt by now.'

The name Alice snaps me out of the conversation and all I can think about is her smile when she sees me. I am elated with excitement until my vision turns black and I feel my air supply being rationed. I fight the bag over my head and try to call for Griffin, but the grip on my throat is too tight. With my numbered breaths I manage a 'Griff-'this is when I start to feel the punches into my stomach and the hold on my neck releases. The blows are forcing air out of my mouth which is covered by the bag over my head. It feels like a sac but the material is softer but I can't see a thing; it is like my own personal prison. This form of attack could only come from the paladins who have found Griffin and I.

That's when I hear Griffin shout my name 'JAMIE!'I struggle to turn around but I am being locked in someone's arms. Jumping away from the situation is impossible I can't even hold my feet on the ground. My thoughts are clouded; everything is blurred around me as I slip in and out of consciousness.

I'm moving. I hear the purr of the engine and the bumps in the road but as I try to get up my hands are tied. My feet are tied also and the bag still covers my face, I wriggle around and feel a body behind me with occasional breaths. I jolt forward at the sudden break of the car and hit straight into something hard. Guessing from the confined space and the movement I feel beneath me that I am in a car boot. I try to jump away from the boot but I feel an electric current pulling my down and I realise that struggling isn't an option. My only option is to lie here and wait for the car to stop and for me to be released.

After about half an hour from what I was counting; I hear the car come to a slow stop then the door open and shut. I do what anyone would do in this situation and just lay there and pretend to be unconscious. The car boot opens and I am lifted away from the car; the person carrying me is making heavy footsteps so I assume he is a large male. I am propped up against a wall and guided to sit down on the cold hard floor. Someone unchains my hands and chains it to another object, then pulls three times. Clink. Clink. Clink. I guess it is a pole or radiator that I am chained to due to the sound; I try to regulate my breathing because I am supposed to be unconscious but the pain is keeping me from slipping.

I hear a humming sound; a sort of whirring sound like a machine is then linked to my chain. The electricity zaps threw me, sending a fire to my bruised body so I assume it's a CPR machine and I emphasise my breathing. It doesn't help the zaps have turned into a continuous flow of electricity it isn't a high voltage or I would be dead but high enough to keep my heart going and stop me from jumping.

'Do you think he is conscious?' a women's voice mummers.

'Definitely, no one can stay conscious through the voltage he's got but it stops the freak from jumping' a man's voice replies.

'Ohh, where's the other guy?' the woman wonders. That's when I remember I am not here alone, I am with Griffin and Alice is in that beach all by herself.

'He's in for questioning but he wasn't answering so we tortured him but he still wasn't answering he even spat in the General's face so the General suggested that we give his friend here a voltage' the man laughs dryly, 'and we keep increasing it until he dies. The guy in question started confessing a bit more after that.'

'Oh, so how many hours do you think it'll take for this one will die?' the woman asks darkly.

'No more than 1 but if the other guys gets what he is confessing in writing before then we promised to let this one go' the way he said it sounded as if I wouldn't be let go.

'Soldiers, I have orders to release this boy for questioning' this voice sounded commanding but soft at the same time.

'Yes ma'am, would you like me to carry him as he is unconscious' the man said in a more formal voice than before.

'This boy is not unconscious' the woman stated and I could hear her footsteps coming closer to me, 'leave, I will take him for questioning.'

From what I can hear the man and woman stomped I'm guessing in salute and left the room. Then the woman with the soft voice caressed my face, turned off the machine and whispered, 'I'm sorry about this but it's going to be okay. Just promise me you'll take Griffin and leave straight away. Take care of him.'

The woman kissed my hand, unchained me and propped me up onto my feet. At first I fell straight back down but I tried again and stayed rooted to the ground. She helped me walk forward and guided me out the door then took off the bag from my head. I blinked several times but the light was very dim, so the lightening wasn't different. The woman turned back to me and I knew at once the person I am looking at is Sophie.


	13. Chapter 12 - The Escape

'Sophie!?' I croaked but I just couldn't believe my eyes.

'Shush, keep your voice down', she looks around to see if my croak went unnoticed, assuming it didn't she looked back at me. 'When we go in, there are two soldiers er paladins they are quite heavily built but you can take them out once you have hit me.'

'Hit you!?' I whispered learning from my previous mistake.

'Yes, just once so I can fake unconsciousness like you did' she smiled at me, 'then release Griffin and jump to at least three places before you jump to a hospital. That way we can't follow you' it felt wrong that she said we but I tried to compose my face to respond to her orders.

'Okay… but I can hardly walk let alone fight' I complained.

'Find the will to fight but don't talk to me in that room because it's being monitored' as she finished her sentence I realise we had stopped at a door marked 'Interrogation room' noticing my hesitant face she pleaded with me, 'Just keep him safe, please Jamie?' she looked like she was about to break by the unsteadiness of her voice which was a direct contrast from when the other paladins addressed her.

I stepped forward to hug her and whispered, 'I will. I promise.' Then I embraced her porcelain body into my arms and the touch made me miss Alice and the way her hair used to caress my face. I broke our embrace and stood behind her like a prisoner would. We entered the room it was a white painted room which had blood stains over it, there was no window but CCTV cameras in each other moving around simultaneously. The two paladins were standing next to one another with their hands in salute position, with a nod from Sophie they relaxed.

There were two chairs next to each other in the centre of the room, one was enter and the other had Griffin's limp lifeless body dangling on it. I was frozen staring at Griffin who didn't look like Griffin but a beaten, bruised, cut and unconscious version of himself. Griffin was breathing but slow and irregular breaths, he looked pained even in unconsciousness the pain was written all over his face. Strangely enough his face only had a cut on his lip and black eye forming. The heaviest area of bruising was his chest which was bare and connected to wires; probably the same torture method they used for me but Griffin had it much worse than I did.

'Is he alive?' I asked with a stern edge to my voice.

'Barely' one of the paladins said while smirking. Sophie grimaced to try and hide the pain in her eyes but it was still there.

I turned around to try and gain some composure over the situation when I saw myself in a TV screen. It looked like a paused CCTV camera footage of me; I'm chained to a pole, body propped up against a wall recoiling from being zapped with electricity. An image like this would sure to break Griffin; my face carries the same pained expression Griffin has now. I wondered to myself whether I still resemble the boy in the TV screen, pained face, bruised, hopeless. Breaking my train of thought a paladin walked towards me and smiled.

'Hey Jamie, take a seat', his voice was taunting.

'I'd rather stand. Thank you.' I said with a sarcastic tone.

'O- okay...' The paladin stuttered. 'Well we wanted to ask you a few questions and it's very important you answer them. Okay?'

I shrugged then said 'go on then.' Right now am I face to face with the enemy, I just need to find the will to fight.

'So, what do you know about the paladin resistance?' He asked with a smile on his face which didn't suit his rather heavy build. I slightly looked at Sophie and she was staring at me then ever so slightly flicked her eyes to my interrogator and back. Her encounter was noticed but ignored so I closed the distance between myself and the paladin and spat the word, 'nothing.'

Before he could react I punch him in the face sending him plummeting to the ground; the other paladin was armed. So my instincts told me to arm myself, I grabbed my chair and turned around with it smacking the paladin in the face. Both paladins lie on the floor as limp and lifeless as Griffin but not nearly as bruised as him. I fell to my knees searching for the paladin's weapon when I felt my head knock to the ground. I turned over on the floor and hovering over me was Sophie calling for backup; it took me a few seconds to realise it was part of the act. I slid my legs into her ankles and she fell to the ground and I punched the side of her jaw but not as hard as the punches I gave the others. Even though I had to do it I still felt bad punching her. I took her sword and stabbed both the male paladins in the chest but there was no time to be disgusted.

I fumbled trying to release Griffin quickly but managed to untie the knots. Griffin's lifeless hull was easy enough to pull onto my back; with struggle I dragged us to the corridor outside the interrogation room.

'STOP!' 'HAULT' the horde of armed soldiers commanded, trapping us from both sides of the corridor.

Without hesitation I jumped Griffin and I to safety. My knees gave way and I fell to the ground, whatever little energy I salvaged has gone now. I feel weighed down with injuries but then in my heard I heard Sophie's elegant voice, 'Just keep him safe; please Jamie?' So I crawled leaving a trail of Griffin's and my blood; onlookers cried out in French but their voices were like ringing in my head. I held on to Griffin's arms around my neck and jumped again, this time onto a bed it has been a long time since I have been in this room. Alice's room. My arrival probably woke the whole neighbourhood so I wasn't surprised to hear frantic footsteps coming up the stairs.

'Alice hunny is that you!? You've come back', Alice's dad sobbed as he ran, 'I haven't seen you for weeks, I miss you so much. I'm coming Alice!' I couldn't register everything apart from that I needed to get out of this room, so I jumped to a road near my old house leaving behind Griffin's and my blood. I can't believe it; we forgot all about Alice's dad, he must be worried sick. We've just disappeared of the grid for weeks, I started to breath frantically as I realised there was a police van outside my old house. Something about the uniform the 'policemen' were wearing suggests they weren't policemen they were paladins camped outside my house. I have no house now. The paladins have taken everything away from me; apart from Alice which reminds me I need to go so I jump Griffin to a hospital. I saw one in San Francisco on the school trip so I jump outside there with a hard landing I feel myself slip away.

I don't remember anything but when I woke up I was in a hospital bed with a drip in my hand. Griffin was next to me with a drip and other various wires attached to him with an air mask over his mouth. My drip however doesn't have any medicine attached to it so I get up, head feeling dizzy and body ached. I looked to Griffin and seeing him in that hospitalised condition and knowing that it was my fault; I knew I couldn't stay.

I jumped to the beach where I last saw Alice; I am filled with the guilt of leaving her here alone but I just want to embrace her and know that she's alright.

'Where have you been for the last two days!? Jamie I was worried sick!' I could recognise her sweet voice even when angry anywhere.

With a sharp turn I cried out while embracing her, 'ALICE! You're okay, I'm so sorry I was gone!' I pulled out of our embrace to crush my lips against hers. I've missed this so much; her warm lips mould mine as I hold her delicate hips. Her lips trace my face, she kisses a bruise on my face and I wince with pain. Alice notices and pulls away from our embrace and screams, 'You're hurt!? What the fuck happened!?'

Shocked by her anger I don't respond and let her examine the rest of the bruises on my body. We stand there in silence until she sees my hand with the end of the drip still attached.

'Where's Griffin!? When I see him I swear to God I will-,' Alice's rage is cut off by my expression.

'It's a long story Ali, a long story' I sigh tiredly.


	14. Chapter 13 - Safe Heaven

The last few days especially nights have blurred into one; days are tolerable but the nights are the worst.

I'm staring at the ceiling but not really seeing anything; tell you the truth I'm just distracting myself. There's too much to think about and every time I go to sleep I either have a nightmare or I dream about Griffin who is lying in a hospital bed fighting for his life while I lay here in Alice's embrace. The worst part is; it's my fault. I put him in there and I haven't even visited him yet… I just can't bring myself to see him right now because I know he'll hate me for leaving him, defenceless and alone.

I feel my warm tear run down my face as guilt swallows me whole. At least it keeps me from the nightmares; normally, I go to sleep and I'll have the same dream every night. I know what's going to happen but it still kills me every time and wakes me up startled and confused breathing for air. It starts with Alice and me in our safe heaven, Italy where we are now and then I go out to buy breakfast for Alice. On my way there I meet Sophie crying in the street and I ask her what's wrong. She looks at me with eyes full of hatred and screams, 'Griffin is dead. I asked you one thing. One thing…' I try to comfort her but she just shrieks cries of pain of how she never got to say goodbye and tell him how she really feels. Then she looks at me straight in the eyes and says, 'you've killed me, Jamie. What if that was Alice? What if…' I push her off of me and run towards our hotel dropping everything in my hands. I open our hotel room and there's Alice dangling in the arms of a paladin. Dead…

'Jamie! Jamie! What's wrong!? Did you have the dream again? I'm fine, I'm fine. I'm here.'

I look over to Alice who has tears streaming down her face as she tries to calm a hysterical me.

'James, it was just a dream' she caresses my cheek as I try to calm down.

She's fine. She's fine. I just fell asleep and had a nightmare. Breathe…

'I know, I'm sorry' I wipe the tears from her face, 'I didn't mean to wake you. Go back to sleep.'

'I was going to wake up anyway' she sniffs and kisses my cheek.

'No you weren't, it's 3 a.m.' I roll my eyes at her.

She laughs gently, 'Okay, maybe I wasn't but I'll stay up if you want.'

'No, no, go to sleep' I trace her face with the tip of my finger and smile at her.

'Go to the harbour or something' Alice suggests.

'No!' I snap, 'I mean I don't wanna leave you.'

'Okay, don't worry' she kisses my jaw where my bruise is carefully.

'Maybe we can go there together' I suggest, 'after visiting Griffin in the hospital?'

After a moment of silence, 'are you sure you're ready?'

I shake my head and she rests her head onto my chest. In a few minutes she's asleep and I'm alone with my thoughts again.

The smell of eggs and toast wake me up, through my half open eyes I see Alice smiling at me from the kitchen. That's the one thing I love most about her; anything that happens during the night she'll never mention it in the morning. She treats me like a different Jamie in the morning. Although most mornings have been like this, I somehow feel like this day will be different.

'Want to go to the harbour today?' I ask while munching on a slice of toast.

'Yeah, I would love that' she smiles while eating her breakfast, 'maybe we could go to that restaurant, La Bella' Her Italian accent when she said 'La Bella' made me smile as usual.

'Sure, La Bella it is!' I speak while devouring my eggs.

The harbour was calm, boats came and went but it was rather quiet. Everything there just calms me down and for a few hours I forget everything. While walking to the restaurant I could hear someone calling my name.

'JAMIE! ALICE! Jesus are you deaf!?'

I turned around and there running towards us was David and Millie. I could hardly recognise them; they were wearing sun appropriate clothes suggesting they have been in Italy for a while.

'Er – hey' I croaked.

'Where have you guys been?' David asked in what sounded like one breath.

'Jamie, what happened to you?' Millie asked shocked.

'We've been here for the last 3 days' Alice responded, 'also Jamie is fine' Her defensiveness over me is so sweet; her cheeks reddened at my smile.

'We've been in Italy for 5 days' David looked confused, 'how come we haven't seen you?'

'We've been indoors…' Alice mumbled.

'Oh, well let's eat at La Bella. It's a great restaurant; our treat' David smiled.

After ordering a meal in La Bella; David brought up the question Alice and I were avoiding.

'What really happened to Jamie?'

'Paladins' I said robotically.

'Paladins?' David asked, 'where?'

'We were at the Grand Canyon' I explained, 'then they found us and tortured us'

'We?' David asked.

'Griffin and myself' I replied, 'We left Alice in Hawaii'

There was a long silence before David finally replied, 'You know Griffin?'

'Yes and he told me all about your paladin mother and sister' I said scornfully.

'Oh…' David said awkwardly, 'where is Griffin?'

'Hospital in San Francisco' I mutter.

'Then why are you here!?' David asked angrily. After another silence he continued, 'what if the paladins finish the job?'

Then I break. 'Do you not think I thought of that!?' I screamed bleakly, 'Do you not think I haven't thought of that every day and every night! I'm sorry I left him there but I just didn't know what else to do! Okay? I just-'I stormed out of the restaurant, dropped into a sitting position and sobbed.

Within seconds Alice's arms were around me and I jumped us home to the hotel.

'Alice, I'm sorry' I continued to cry, 'I'm sorry, I've ruined your time here and I'm sorry I'm a wreck right now. I'm sorry you haven't seen your dad who is all alone after your mum died and I'm just sorry'

Alice didn't respond she just comforted me and we just sat on the bed in silence for the night; only the whimpers from the both of us making a sound.


	15. Chapter 14 - Jump but you can't hide

'We need to go and see Griffin' Alice breathed onto my bare chest, 'we can't stay here forever'

'I know' I said circling my finger around the small of her back, 'I wish we could'

Alice raised her head from my chest and sighed, 'Jamie, you need to get with it again'

'I… am with it' I said bemused with what she meant.

'No you are not Jamie' Alice looked into my eyes and whispered, 'you act like you are living in a dream. You haven't been sleeping until last night well yesterday; you slept for the whole day. You've been acting in a haze ever since I saw you in Hawaii. That was a week ago'

There was a pause while I processed what she was saying; it has been 7 whole days since I saw her in Hawaii.

'We're not safe here, I can just feel it' Alice said worriedly, 'paladins will be looking for you and worst of all Griffin. We need to find Griffin and go to his den where we can sort things out and decide what to do from there'

'Okay, let's go and see Griffin today' I decide, 'we can't wait any longer'

'Wait, we need to go over what has happened in the last 8 days because I don't think you've digested everything yet. You told me the story of what happened in the paladin's lair and what happened to Griffin and ever since then you've been a mess'

'Thanks…' I scoffed.

'You have been! Sometimes you've been with it; alert and then other times you haven't' Alice paused.

My face lowered, 'I'm really sorry'

'It's okay, it's a lot to handle but you can handle it now!'

I smiled then my face went serious, 'Okay, so Griffin is probably still in the hospital'

'Correct'

'We have to go and see him'

'Correct'

'We can't go home because there are paladins there who are dangerous'

Alice's face drops, 'Er, yes.'

'Right, let's pack' I smiled and Alice smiled back at me.

As I looked for things to pack I remembered a conversation almost lost within my memory. I had the conversation with Alice about two days ago.

_'My dad hates being alone especially when my mum died because I was only 3. He was painfully alone with a child he couldn't handle but then he started talking to your uncle and he found someone he had a lot in common with. They became friends very quickly and soon Dad and I were always at your house, every Sunday your uncle would make roast dinner for us. I will never forget the day you came round and we all had Sunday roast together. I was so jealous because you sat next to my dad and he was talking to you more than me. After dinner, I wanted to go straight home but my dad made me talk to you' Alice smiled through a tear rolling down her face._

_'I remember that conversation, we talked for hours. You really made me feel at home that day… you stop everyone from being alone and I love you for that' I said trying to hide the chagrin in my face. _

_'I love you too but I… I can't stay away from my dad, he doesn't have your uncle and he doesn't have me. He's alone again' Alice cried harder, 'It's not safe to see him yet but-'_

_'I promise you Alice I will make it safe for you to see him, I will sort this all out and I'll never hurt you again' I embraced her staying strong for her._

_'Thank you' Alice whimpered._

_'I will sort this out… for you' I vowed while Alice cried into my t-shirt. _

I will keep that promise; I think to myself while flinging clothes that I want to take with me in Alice's direction.

'Pack some more food, we need as much as we can carry' Alice ordered.

'Yes ma'am!' I said sardonically. 'Do we need cheese commander?'

'That is a negative, bread is more important' Alice mocked a soldier's voice.

'Bread and biscuits coming your way' I mocked a soldier's voice back.

'Affirmative General' Alice joked.

I felt a shiver come up my spine at the word General but I just smiled and said, 'you sound like a very sexy soldier.' Then I pinned a hysterical Alice to the bed and kissed her lips and neck fiercely. Alice broke away from our kiss smiley, 'We have to go'

'Two more minutes' I begged.

KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK. 'Open the door or we will force our way in!'

Alice's grip tightened on me, I quietly packed the bread in the bag and slung it over on my back.

'General what are we waiting for? We have confirmation that they are in there' a voice outside whispered.

'Jamie we're waiting open the door' a deep husky voice commanded. 'You can jump but you can't hide.'

Without a thought I jumped outside the hospital in San Francisco hitting the hard ground with Alice on top of me. In silence still in shock we rose from the floor and entered the hospital. It smelt like a typical hospital with an antiseptic smell in the air. We walked to the reception where a red haired receptionist greeted us, 'Hello, how may I help you?'

After a small pause, 'er we're looking for a friend of ours… Griffin?'

'A Griffin O'Conner has been discharged' the receptionist read from her computer.

'When was he discharged?' Alice asked. 'It's really important we see him.'

'He was just discharged so he might be around here but if he's left he couldn't have gone far. Unless your friend can fly' the receptionist laughed but Alice and I didn't because we know Griffin can do something better than fly.

'Oh, well thank you' I smiled weakly at the receptionist.

Alice and I turned around and walked down to the waiting area while covering the area with our eyes for Griffin.

'Are you looking for something?' a sarcastic voice from behind us said. Alice and I swivelled around in unison to see Griffin smiling at us with a Starbucks coffee in his hand. Griffin has stiches just above his left eyebrow, a scar tracing from the right corner of his lip down about a centimetre and he had a wrist brace on the hand not holding the coffee but other than that Griffin looked great.

'Griffin!' Alice wrapped her arms around his neck, 'we've been worried sick but you look so much better'

'You do, you can really take a beating' I try to joke.

'You should see the other guy' he joked back.

'He's not even alive what would be the point' I said.

Griffin seemed to be taken aback by my comment because all he responded was, 'hmm'

We all walked out of the hospital talking about how his Starbucks coffee tastes but we all know there are more important things to talk about and the small talk won't last long. As soon as we exit the hospital and we are about halfway down the street Griffin said with dark sarcasm, 'It was so nice of you to visit me in hospital, you practically never left'

'I'm really sorry Griffin, the whole thing messed me up and seeing you in the hospital would have been too much for me' I pleaded. 'I'm really sorry.'

'I understand, I just would have preferred you two rather than David and his girl' Griffin rolled his eyes.

'David and Millie came to visit you?' I asked.

'Don't act so surprised, they said you sent them because you weren't feeling well or something like that' Griffin grumbled.

'We still should have come' Alice said, 'we're really sorry but we have a lot to catch you up on'

'Now that's what I like to hear' Griffin jeered and then disappeared leaving dust and a wormhole behind.

I grabbed Alice's hand and followed Griffin's wormhole to Griffin's den; it was as if the last week didn't happen and we were skipping our school trip activities to go on adventures with Griffin.

'So… anyone want to tell me what's been going on?' Griffin raised one eyebrow.


	16. Chapter 15 - The Plan

So we sat Griffin down and gave him a full explanation of the last week; Griffin kept a compose face for the most of it but it was obvious we struck a nerve when we mentioned Sophie.

'We never would have got out if it wasn't for Sophie' I commented, 'she helped us escape, she had this whole plan it did involve me hitting her to avoid suspicion but it helped a lot!'

'Sophie… helped you?' Griffin raised one eyebrow.

'Yeah, she did it for you' I smiled, 'she made me promise to keep you safe. It killed her to see you on that chair beaten and almost lifeless'

'I bet she cared so much' Griffin rolled his eyes.

'She did, she was fighting back tears Griffin!' I defended.

'The last thing I remember of that interrogation was her fist pounding my face' Griffin spat his words at me.

'She had to. From what I saw she is a highly ranked paladin, they were saluting her and everything' I explained. 'I'm telling you she had to!'

'Whatever' Griffin dismissed, 'So, what do we know about this General guy?'

Alice and I shivered at his name and the memory of when we last 'met' him.

'He must be the highest ranked paladin and he knows my name' I shivered, 'maybe yours as well Griffin'

'He does and I've seen him' Griffin was silent for a moment, 'I can't remember what he looks like clearly but he was wearing an army jacket and he is very tall. I spat in his direction when he asked me about the paladin resistance'

'What is the paladin resistance?' Alice looked at me then moved her eyes to Griffin.

'Probably their name for us' Griffin dismissed.

'If it was a name for jumpers then they would have said jumpers but they said paladin resistance' Alice reviewed.

'That's true, maybe it's not just the jumpers against the paladins' I concurred.

'Hmm, maybe not' the thought bounced inside Griffin's head.

'Do you remember anything else about the General?' I asked.

'Not really, I could hardly see from one eye' Griffin replied, 'he looked like a heavy built guy'

Alice sighed and slumped on the sofa, 'As if things couldn't get worse'

'What about Mary Rice or another paladin we know? Did you see them?' I asked.

This seems to have the most effect on Griffin, 'she was there alright. Right next to her daughter edging her on'

There was silence and then I had to ask, 'what actually happened between you two?'

'It doesn't matter. It's not important' Griffin passively dismissed, 'what is important is what we do next'

'We attack' Alice rose from the sofa with a stern edge to her voice, 'we get the paladins and this General for everything they've taken from us'

A crooked smile form on Griffin's lips and he put one hand on my shoulder then said, 'hold on to this one. She's a keeper'

'Always' I replied with determination. 'I think we should get help from David and Millie'

Griffin's hand dropped from my shoulder, 'why exactly did you think that?'

'Griffin we can't go by ourselves… we are injured' I replied.

'And I can't fight' Alice added.

'You can't come' I dismiss, 'You'll stay here with Millie'

'What? Because we're girls!?' Alice accused.

'Because you're not jumpers… that will be our only advantage against the paladins' I said while Alice just rolled her eyes, 'though they have rooms which you can't jump into or from'

'Such as the interrogation room' Griffin pointed out.

'And the room I was locked in' Griffin and I felt a chill at the memory of my time spent in that room.

'What else do we know about their lair?' Griffin went through his drawers to find a pencil and paper. 'Let's draw out everything we know'

'I still think I should be included…' Alice muttered huffily, 'you could teach me the basic moves and I could have a weapon. I've seen the weapons in your drawer Griffin'

'Alice, why are you going through my stuff?' Griffin asked.

'Alice! Don't do this to me! What if you get hurt?' I asked with a break in my voice.

'No Jamie! Don't do this to ME! I'd rather get hurt with you than have you never come back' Alice shouted at me.

'I'm gonna let you guys have a domestic over there' Griffin laughed, 'I'm drawing over here if you need me!'

'Shut up, Griffin!' I rolled my eyes, 'Alice, we need to attack them soon and how much realistically could we teach you in a day?'

'Says the basically crippled… Just teach me some moves; I can already punch that's one thing' Alice argued.

'Fine! I'll teach you how to fight but I am not agreeing to this until I can see how good you are' I reasoned.

'I'll show you how good I am Jamie Andrew Bradfield' Alice waved her fist in my face.

'She's got you there Andrew' Griffin said in between his fits of laughter and hysterics.

I rolled my eyes at Griffin, 'Come on Alice, I'll teach you what I know' I held out my hand in her direction, a smile formed on her lips and she slid her hand in mine interlocking our fingers. In a moment I jumped us to our school gym; a place I personally hated but I learnt karate here after school with Jeremy so I thought it would be appropriate.

'Urgh' Alice commented in disgust.

'I learnt here so I thought it would be symbolic' I smirked.

'Don't get sentimental on me now; I was just about to kick your arse' Alice retorted.

I took a precautionary step away from Alice and said, 'let's see your punch then'

Alice exhaled and jabbed the air with her small fist; while her left fist guarded her face. I stepped towards her and raised her left elbow giving a more defensive block against her face.

'Keep your arm at a perpendicular angle away from your face' I stated, 'but other than that, it was… okay'

Alice turned slightly towards my body and drove her fist into my chest. The force pushed me back another step but not enough to stop me from grasping her waist and jumping the other end of the room. I lift her against the wall, looked up towards her face and her beautiful eyes bore into mine. I gently put her back on the ground closing the gap between us and leant in slowly towards her face. Unexpectedly I felt my balance on my right leg slip, slamming my back to the ground sending a gust of air out of my lungs. Alice then pounced on top of me and pinned me to the ground.

'I win' Alice laughed defiantly.

'You cheated' I breathed with a displeased look on my face.

'So did you' she winked at me. 'Do I get anything for winning?'

'I don't know, do you?' Alice lowered her body on top of me and kissed me gently on the lip.

'Let's go back' Alice smiled evilly, 'I want to tell Griffin about how I beat you up'

I pursed my lips together and jumped us to Griffin's den where Griffin was finishing up his sketches of what I thought was the paladin's lair. I jumped behind him only to realise it was a sketch of Sophie; Griffin quickly shut it back into the drawer and turned to Alice without looking at me.

'Griffin! Griffin! Guess what?' Alice said impatiently.

'What Alice? What?' Griffin said with fake enthusiasm.

'I beat Jamie up' Alice shrilled through her grin.

Griffin exploded with laughter and looked at me, 'Well I can see who the dominating one in this relationship is'

'There isn't one' I moaned.

'Honey, be quiet the men are talking' Alice joked.

After about an hour of planning and sketching the layout of the paladin's lair was complete. Along with other information that we know about the lair such as where the security cameras are placed. It wasn't a lot to go on but it was enough for the mean time; but something was telling me that if we went in there without David and Millie it would be a lost cause.

'We should bring in David and Millie, we're going to need the extra muscle' I suggest.

'I have Millie's number, she gave it to me when you were breaking down outside' Alice stated.

'Try calling her now and we'll ask to meet somewhere because I have a feeling Griffin won't like them coming here' I explain.

'Griffin wouldn't like who coming here?' Griffin asked with a apprehensive look in his face.

'Erm David and Millie' I muttered.

'We need them Griffin…' Alice added. 'They'll help us end this and save Sophie'

'Sophie…' I said dubiously, 'that wasn't part of the plan'

'Well it is now!' Alice demanded. 'She begging to get out of there, she doesn't belong there and you two know it!'

'She made her choice' Griffin retorted.

'And I've made mine… if she helped you out of there, it means she still loves you but she's too trapped to admit it' Alice protested. It was then that I realised Alice was right, Sophie is trapped within the paladin's grasp. She needs our help even in my dreams she needed my help and I didn't do anything about it… until now.

'Plans have changed, we take down the paladins and rescue Sophie with David and Millie' I commanded.


	17. Chapter 16 - Surprises

'Can we take a break?' I ask Griffin, 'my wrist feels funny'

'We've only been practising for 10 minutes Jamie' Griffin stated.

'I punched this awkwardly, it's probably just a sprain' I said examining and twisting my wrist.

'Well I suppose we could… but not for long, okay?' Griffin rolled his eyes.

'Okay, where's Alice?' I asked.

'Down the hall… it's a nice school you've got here' Griffin said whilst holding a bright red punch bag.

'We had good equipment but only one good PE teacher who taught boxing, hence the good boxing equipment but we have about 5 tennis rackets and our tennis teacher is a maths teacher' I laughed.

'Mr Jones' Alice laughed, 'I remember him, the multi- talented teacher'

'Tie this around your wrist, it'll help if it is sprained' Griffin handed me a bandage.

'Where did you get this from?' I asked surprised.

'You have a first-aid kit… right here' Griffin gestured drawer that we were standing next to.

'Oh I see' I replied, 'so what were you doing just now?'

'I called Millie but it rang until it went to voicemail' Alice sighed.

'Try again' I insisted, 'we can't just give up'

'Okay' Alice agreed.

Alice dialled Millie's number and presses the call button after a moment of hesitation. The phone rings once before it's answered but strangely the person on the other end of the call is silent but breathing.

'Hello?' Alice asked awkwardly.

'Alice?' Millie whispered in between panting.

'Have you been running or something?' Griffin questioned impatiently.

'Alice, we're in trouble' Millie took another breath, 'they've taken David and their after to me'

'Where are you?' Alice asked while looking at me worriedly with panic in her voice.

'I'm in-' was all Millie could say before she screamed and the phone went dead.

Griffin, Alice and I looked at each other in shock at what we just heard. Alice was the first to talk; 'we need to help them'

'Well we were already going to the paladin's lair' I state thinking of how shortened our odds are now that we have lost our David advantage.

'Let's just add them to the list, shall we?' Griffin said sarcastically, 'I want to help them but we're not ready… we go there, we're all dead'

Griffin's words were hard to swallow because of how likely it is that we won't make it out of there alive. I look to Alice and I feel nothing but guilt for bringing her into this mess.

'That's a risk we have to take for friends' Alice argued.

'Not a risk I'll let you take, your definitely not going now' I order.

Alice was silent a short moment before speaking with a soothing voice, 'I know you don't want me to get hurt but I don't want you to get hurt! I'm in this now Jamie and there's nothing you can do… even if they kill you I bet they'll find me and kill me too or my dad'

'Then Griffin and I have to train for the rest of the day and get a good night sleep because tomorrow early morning we'll attack' I said with a stern voice nodding my head.

'I'm with Jamie on this one, sorry Alice' Griffin agreed. 'If it gets too much we'll jump out of there'

'Oh that's comforting… how come you didn't just jump out of there when you were being beaten up and Jamie was being electrocuted' Alice with a harsh tone, I could tell she was angry.

'This time we will make it out' I promised her.

'Jamie will fight better knowing he needs to come back for you' Griffin said calmly but I could see the pain of his loneliness in his eyes.

'What about you Griffin? I don't want you to die either' Alice wiped a tear falling from her eye, 'you're like my brother and I can't lose you or Jamie'

I stepped forward and warmed Alice in a hug, 'you won't lose any of us!'

'Common, we've got to train' Griffin pulled my shoulder so I was facing the punching bags.

'This won't help train us, we need something closer to real life fighting' I suggested.

'Tell me you're not going to fight each other?' Alice asked already guessing my plan.

A dark smile formed on Griffin's lips and in an instant he was gone leaving only his jump scar behind.

'Jamie… don't do it…' Alice pleaded.

'I have to, love you' I whispered into her ear and walked into Griffin's jump scar before she could say anything else.

On the other end of the jump scar to my surprise was a desert, my landing was like a splash into water sand sprayed in the air leaving a mark where I landed. I turn round to see Griffin with his fists firmly in front of him and the hen smiles darkly, 'welcome to the Empty Quarter… you know me and my father trained here and I thought seeing as you took me to your training grounds I'd show you mine'

'Fair enough' I smiled and raised my fists in front of my face. Griffin went into full run at me with his fists still protecting his face and instinctively I jumped a couple of metres away from him. Griffin continued to run straight into my jump scar and his knuckles hit my left cheek forcing me to take a step back. I quickly closed the gap on us and swung a punch at him. He automatically blocked my attack but I used the opportunity to blow my left fist into his stomach.

Within a second our environment changed, we were somewhere icy and it was very cold. Almost oblivious to the change Griffin proceeded to attack punching and kicking my body several times, I dodged a misguided kick but the others met their target. Loosing hope I just hugged his body and tackled him into the cold water. Griffin and I kept sinking into the deep dark water until I jumped us to France on looking the Eiffel Tower.

'You're gonna pay for that one, Jamie' Griffin said coughing in between words.

'Come on then, Griffin' I shouted shaking the water out of my hair with my hand.

I grabbed Griffin's shoulders and kneed him in the chin which sent both of us off our feet. I regained my balance with struggle for a second before Griffin used his feet to force my face to meet the rocky ground. Griffin crawled up in obvious pain and ran into the road, winked at me then disappeared before a car hit him. I stood up and waddled into the road with cars honking their horns and screeching their tires on the road. I walked into his jump scar and appeared on a bridge; it didn't take me long to realise we were on the Golden Gate bridge. Cars kept whizzing by me but I couldn't see Griffin until he landed on my back pushing me to the floor again. Before I could react we were off the ground looking down on the cars, we were roughly halfway across the bridge on the metal frame about 65 metres high. I slowly stood up and turned to Griffin who was obviously not afraid of heights as he looked ready to fight.

'Seriously… on top of the Golden gate bridge?' I ask trying to not be phased by the height.

'Might as well do it in style' Griffin laughed waiting for me to make the first move.

'Suit yourself' I scoffed and charged at him.

Maybe it was the height but I seem to have gained a new level of confidence, I was throwing punches and blocking Griffin's attacks. It was fine until Griffin dodged a swing at his face making him loose his balance and fall off. His reflexes were good as his hand saved him from falling.

'Griffin!' I called. I treaded carefully on my way to him and gripped his steady hand. Avoiding danger I jumped us back to Alice in my school's gym.

The school gym felt strange, it was as if ever fibre of my body was warning me to get out and then I really looked around. There was blood on the wall and floor, the air smelt of blood and it was making me sick. My heart quickened when I realised whose blood it belonged to.

'ALICE!' I screamed frantically running around the gym, 'Alice, are you here?'

'Quiet for a second Jamie or do you want them to hear you?' Griffin warned me looking around quickly but quietly.

'I don't care!' I snapped, 'ALLLICEEE'

'Jamie, you're back' a faint voice croaked from the corridor outside the gym.

I ran outside the gym to find Alice lying on the floor with the school payphone in her limp hand; her head was bleeding and her eye was swollen shut. I fell to the ground next to her almost silence quiet by shock.

'Alice, I'm so sorry' I whimpered through the tears falling from my eyes.

'No Jamie, I'm okay' Alice smiled but there was blood from her nose around her lip, 'I tried to call you but you left your phone here but I called the hospital they're on their way. I don't know how I am going to explain that I am inside the school; I was going to break a window but moving isn't an option right now'

I breathed through my nose because I didn't have the energy to laugh but replied, 'I will move you outside and I- I _swear_ to you… I'll make them pay'

Alice raised her limp hand to caress my face and I leant in and gently kissed her jaw and then her lip. This reminded me of when I was hurt and Alice had to be careful with me.

'Jamie, have you found her? I have something to show you' Griffin called.

'Yeah, I'll bring her to you' I shouted in response. I gradually and carefully propped Alice against my chest and lifted her up; she felt like porcelain in my arms. I jumped us to Griffin who was standing next to a body at the other side of the gym with a closer look I recognised the uniform. It was a paladin. A dead paladin…

'Serves them right for messing with me' Alice delicately said.

'Jesus…' Griffin said looking at Alice's lifeless body, 'well it's safe to say the other guy looks worse'

In that moment I felt proud; Alice had defended herself against a paladin and survived. Alice is my hero and I will end this so that innocent people don't get hurt. I just don't understand why our enemies feel the need to attack those we love? Those that aren't in the battle in the first place…

'Do you hear an ambulance?' Griffin asked.

'Yeah, Alice called them' I stated, 'I need to get her outside'

I jumped outside to find as suspected the ambulance was coming around the corner; I raised my hand to get the attention of the ambulance. I felt a cold hand on my shoulder, I turned around slowly preparing for the worse but luckily it was only Griffin. The paramedics took Alice off my hands and laid her inside the ambulance. Griffin joined us in the ambulance and we headed to the hospital; Alice was now in worse state as she wasn't speaking but I knew she was alive because every minute or so she would squeeze my hand.


	18. Chapter 17 - A Difficult Call

I hoped that tonight I would get a good night sleep as preparation for the battle tomorrow but as I didn't plan on spending the night next to my unconscious girlfriend. I haven't slept at all, I know realistically I can't protect Alice 24/7 but I want to and that's what I haven't slept. Alice hasn't spoken since the ambulance apart from a few mummers of 'Jamie' and 'Jamie, you still there?' Griffin is still persistent that we go to the paladin's lair soon especially as David and Millie are trapped there and we can guess what the paladins are doing to them.

'Let's stay here for one day and then we have to go' Griffin insisted.

'When did you start to care about David or Millie?' I snapped, 'I want to save them too but what is Alice wakes up and I'm gone?'

'I wouldn't allow my worst enemy be tortured by the paladins and I know you feel like you need to be there for Alice. I see you hesitate to go to the toilet but I'm telling you she's safe here' Griffin tried to reassure me.

'I thought she was safe at our school gym…' I said scornfully, 'now look at her'

'I know mate' Griffin soothed, 'I know'

'I'm sorry I keep snapping at you' I apologised, 'it's just… there's someone missing here, someone who needs to be here'

'Who's missing?' Griffin asked while handing me a cup of tea.

'Alice's dad…' I sighed, 'when Alice broke her hand he stayed with her for the whole time and bought her grapes and made her laugh. He needs to be here but I don't know how I'm going to explain to him why and how she ended up here'

'Yeah that's true' griffin said, 'we told the nurse that she got mugged so I think we should tell her dad that'

'That's not the point he hasn't seen Alice for weeks and then she turns up in a hospital because she was mugged; it just doesn't add up. He doesn't even know we're in this country; he thinks we are still in San Francisco'

'Oh' Griffin thought about it for a minute, 'how about you tell him just before we leave; that way when you leave he'll be right behind you and if Alice wakes up and sees her dad she'll know you sent him'

'Probably best, I can't leave here so I'll call him' I suggested while patting my pockets for my phone.

'Wait' Griffin stopped me.

'What?' I asked confused.

'I think that's how the paladins found Alice' Griffin tried to explain.

'How?' I asked intrigued.

'The phone call' Griffin elaborated, 'they traced the phone call'

'Ohhh yeah, how else would they know where to find her?' I said understanding, 'do you have a phone on you now?'

'I don't use phones anymore for this exact reason' Griffin said.

'Oh right' I pursed my lips, 'well I don't have my phone either so I'll have to use a hospital one'

'Don't use one here, you'll put the whole hospital in danger and Alice' griffin advised.

'Yeah' I thought, 'the only place I can think of is my school?'

'That'll be alright' Griffin said, 'I'll watch Alice'

I stood up but my feet were stuck to the ground I couldn't physically move away from Alice but I knew I had to force my body to respond. I jumped my way out of the hospital and into my school, the telephone I went to was the one near where I found Alice. That was when one factor hit me; I know Alice had her phone but then why wasn't she using it when she called the ambulance? I looked around the gym for her hone and I realised something strange… the gym was completely clean and the dead paladin was missing from the floor. Did the paladins come back and remove the evidence? They must have guessed we would get rid of Alice's phone or use a phone here. I shook the thoughts from my head and jumped to the phone outside the corridor. I know three numbers of by heart; Alice's number, Alice's home number and My Uncle's number. It's strange how the only number left to call is Alice's home number; I dialled it. It rang a few times as I wished under my breath that Alice's dad would pick up.

Just when I was about to hang up; he answered.

'Hello?' Alice's dad's voice seemed strained just like mine.

'Hello, it's Jamie-'

'Jamie… are you okay? Is Alice with you?' his voice sounded happier.

'I'm okay but it's Alice…'

'What happened to her? Tell me she is not dead!' his voice broke at the thought.

'No but she is in hospital… she was mugged and beat up pretty badly' I explained.

'Oh… ar – ar- are you in San Francisco?' he stuttered.

'No but it's complicated, you need to just come to the hospital down the road from our school and hurry please' I pleaded.

'I've got my coat I'll be right there' he said voice breaking.

'Alice is fine though' I assured him.

'Okay Jamie, I'll see you there' he said closing a door behind him.

'Yeah… and I'm really sorry we haven't been in touch or been around' I barely said through the lump in my throat, 'it's my fault entirely and I'm so sorry'

'It's okay, I'm just glad you called me now' he turned on the engine in his car.

'Have you taken the home phone with you?' I asked smiling through the tears.

'Yes, well I couldn't stay inside but I think you need someone to talk to so yes I did take the home phone outside. I'm kind of surprised it works outside' he joked.

We both laughed weakly and I brought up the topic that I had been avoiding, 'do you know what happened to my uncle?'

'No, but I was the one who found him dead' he said feebly and coughed, 'I tried to call you but your phone was off all the time and Alice's too'

This was weird because when I did have my phone it was on all the time and so was Alice's phone.

'Oh well sorry about that too' my cheeks turned chagrin.

'Can I talk to Alice?' he asked carefully.

'She is sleeping right now but hopefully when she wakes up she'll see you… she'll be so happy'

'Okay, I'm just around the corner. Tell her I'm coming' I heard him sniff and clear his throat.

'I have to go now' I mumbled and then put down the phone. I exhaled and rested my head against the wall to piece myself together. I pulled myself together and jumped back to the hospital; without realising I had jumped behind a nurse. Griffin burst out laughing at the nurse's horrified face; I was just happy that Griffin hadn't moved since. The nurse hurried out of the room without making eye contact with me; Griffin was still laughing when she left.

'Good, you didn't move' I commented.

'If I did you would have killed me' Griffin joked.

'I probably would have' I smiled at him, 'her dad is on his way'

'Alright, let's go' Griffin said picking up his backpack.

'Wait, I want to tell him that I have to go… I just keep leaving it's not right' I say holding Alice's hand again.

Griffin nodded understanding and as if it was a second later Alice's dad appeared. He looked tired and mentally drained; his shirt was half tucked in and half tucked out. His hair was messy and his eyes had bags under his eyes but that was probably due to the fatigue and crying. Despite the way he looked when he saw me he smiled but his smile soon faded when he saw Alice. He walked until he was at the side of her bed; he just looked down at her and cried. Griffin and I stood up in sync knowing that he needed some alone time.

'I think I need to have a bath; I'll just leave you two for a while' I said while squeezing his shoulder.

'Thank you, Jamie' he mumbled.

'It's alright' I croaked; my body was more excepting to leave now that I knew Alice had her dad. Now… now it's time to fight.

After the weird day we've had it felt good to be with Griffin in his den… our den.

'So what's the plan?' I said to Griffin lounging on his sofa.

'We go in there, fight our way out and pick up David and Millie on our way out' Griffin said in his normal sarcastic and jokey manner.

'Sounds like a plan but we have to get Sophie too' I winked at Griffin knowing that he didn't forget Sophie but rather removed her from the plan.

'Oh yeah, we bring her as hostage' he smiled darkly.

'No as a friend' I said cheekily, 'or maybe a girlfriend for you?'

'Oh, shut up!' Griffin snapped.

'You love her really' I joked with him.

'I did but I don't now… I can't now' he corrected.

'Why?' I asked.

'If we're together she's dead; just by being with me she's dead' Griffin retorted.

'But you won't let that happen' I argued, 'you know she loves you and you love her, stop fighting it'

'Just shut up Jamie' Griffin rolled his eyes.

'So what weapons are we taking?' I asked with a dark smile forming on my lips.

Griffin walked over to his wardrobe but when he opened it there was a bomb inside, a hand gun and a blow torch.

'You mean these' Griffin smiled as I stood in awe of his weaponry.


	19. Chapter 18 - The Rescue

'Just follow my jump scar and we'll be inside the lair. It's a corridor though so we might have company' I inform Griffin.

Griffin held up his blow torch and retorted, 'Oh, I'm expecting company'

I picked up a pair of pliers just in case we need to cut David and Millie free then took a deep breath and prepared for what awaits us. I visualised the paladin's lair the underground feel to it, how trapped it feels and the paladins that were commanding me to drop Griffin. I opened my eyes and I was there in the exact spot with a gust of air Griffin was next to me. We were in the same positions but I feel like we are different people now to how we were when we were last here.

'I don't know why the General wants us to keep those jumpers alive. It's obvious they have nothing to tell us; we should just kill them' a paladin officer mumbled a few metres ahead of us.

'He has some master plan that he isn't telling anybody' the other paladin officer laughed to the other.

Griffin and I exchanged a dark smile and jumped behind the paladins trapping them in our grip.

'Where are you keeping the jumpers?' I asked with a stern voice and strong grip.

'Why would we tell you?' the paladin officer responded.

'Because we can kill you in a second if you don't tell us' Griffin strengthen the grip on his trapped paladin.

'Just tell them' the other paladin officer barely spoke through my grip.

'Straight ahead but you'll need our ID cards to get in… which we aren't giving you' he attempted to stand his ground.

'We'll just take it off you then' Griffin said before he jumped his paladin into a wall knocking him into it and falling limp on the floor.

I strengthened the grip on the other paladin and then before I strangled him to death let go so he fell to the ground gasping for air. I knocked him out in one punch to the face and searched him for an ID card. I found his ID card across his belt and pulled it off to show Griffin.

'He's got one around his belt' Griffin then took his paladin's ID card from his belt.

'I got it' Griffin told me and then looked down the corridor, 'right this way'

Griffin and I quickly but carefully ran down the corridor until we reached a door with a security pad where the door knob should be. I placed the ID card on the pad, it turned green and the door opened.

The room was dark with only a few lights on the opposite sides of the wall and it had poles set up with wires with David on one, Millie on another and a jumper I've never seen before. This was the room I was locked in; I recognise it all too well and it looks like Griffin does too.

'This is the room you were trapped in' Griffin whispered, 'they were using those wires to electrocute you'

'You had it worse though' I said while pushing the door fully open and viewing the whole room.

Suddenly a paladin run at me with a blue glowing rod as a reflex I tried to jump but my body wasn't moving; I should have known it was an anti-jumping room. Panic washed through me as the paladin closed in on me but before his rod touched me a roaring fire engulfed his body. I turned slightly to see it was Griffin with the blowtorch; the fire reached metres and the paladin fell to the ground. The fire shopped and Griffin smiled evilly at the burnt and crisp paladin on the floor.

'Nice one mate' I laughed.

'No problem' Griffin walked into the room but then his evil smile dropped and he looked at me with slight panic in his eyes.

I stepped into the room and the door automatically shut behind me. There in front of me was Sophie in paladin uniform staring at Griffin as if he was the only person in the room. Griffin's expression was hesitant and he was still holding up his blow torch in defence.

'It's fine Griffin' I assured him in a whisper, 'she's with us'

'Hmmm' he dismissed my comment.

Sophie's eyes seemed to be looking everywhere apart from at Griffin; I could tell she was uncomfortable.

'Sophie, I'm glad you're okay' I walked toward her about to embrace her.

Sophie turned to face me and I noticed slight bruising under her eye my body washed with guilt.

'What happened to your eye? Was it me? I'm sure I didn't hit you that hard…' I trailed off caressing the bruise with my thumb.

'It wasn't you' she brushed off my thumb and I knew that she wouldn't say anything further on the matter. 'More will come you know? What's your plan, kill them all?'

'More or less' Griffin shrugged beside me; even his stance seemed to be opposing Sophie. Which made me think; whatever happened to them it's going to take something big to fix it.

'More are coming soon' Sophie whispered, 'but most of them are on the other side of the building so you have enough time to get yourselves and them out of here' Sophie gestured toward David and Millie.

'Take… her-' David forced out of his mouth; his voice sounded choked from the pain.

I quickly paced toward David who was paler than I remember and he looked very ill and pale.

'David… what did they do to you?' I said cutting the wires that bound him to the pole but I didn't have the key to unlock his handcuffs. I passed the pliers to Griffin to unbound Millie as well but they were still trapped by the handcuffs.

'They're handcuffed… Sophie have you got the key?' I asked thinking quickly.

'I don't' Sophie thought about it and continued, 'but they do' She then knelt beside the paladins on the floor and searched them for the keys. I did wonder why Sophie didn't have possession of the keys considering she was highly ranked in the paladin's organisation but interrupting my thoughts was a surge of electricity coming from David. The handcuffs were the supply of this energy and David's eyes starting rolling and his body went floppy. The electricity was weakening for him but it was surely killing Millie; I could see it in her pale and lifeless face.

'Sophie! Hurry, Millie's dying' I queried worriedly. Sophie threw the keys at me; I caught them in one hand and unlocked David's handcuffs. He sunk to the floor and I propped him up against the pool but threw the handcuffs into the corner. Griffin used the keys to unlock Millie who also drooped to the floor and David who was looking throw his nearly closed eyes groaned in pain of seeing Millie on the floor.

'Get… her… o-o-out' David struggled to say.

'I will' I promised him. Bemused, I looked to Griffin for what to do and as if he knew exactly what my look meant he replied, 'take Millie to a hospital and come back here as soon as you can… but we might have company'

'Okay, what about I take Millie and you take David. We could go together?' I suggested.

'We can't just leave Sophie by herself' Griffin almost looked insulted that I suggested such a thing. It was in this moment that I knew that he cared and she cared but they were just too stubborn to admit it to each other.

'Sure, I'll go and come back' I said with a smile curving my lips. I held Millie in my arms and tried to jump to the hospital Alice was in but we didn't move.

'You can't jump in here, go back into the corridor and do it' Sophie said indifferently but I caught her looking at Griffin as I turned around.

'Right' I said clutching on to Millie and lifting us carefully. I stalked over to the door and as soon as my body was outside of the door I jumped Millie to the hospital. We landed in the reception area, we were noticed by a few people but I figured they would assume they were seeing things and check into a mental hospital afterwards.

'Help! This woman is unconscious and needs help right now!' I called and the receptionist called the doctor in response. They assigned Millie a bed which was luckily very close to Alice so before I returned I went passed Alice's bed. Her father was asleep next to her, his head resting on her arm and Alice was peacefully lying on the bed unconscious and oblivious to the world.

I jumped back to the corridor of the paladin's lair which was strangely becoming more and more familiar to me. I walked towards the door but realised that if they had company then I wouldn't have anything to protect myself and them with so I walked in the other direction to find something, anything. I stumbled across a room which was quiet so I assumed there was no one inside and opened it as this door didn't have a security panel on it. I felt a chill when I opened the door but what took me by surprise was when I turned on the light.

The whole room was plastered with pictures of different people, most were from security cameras but not of the lair; from shops, banks, schools… Some of the pictures had an X threw them but about half probably the majority weren't marked. I was bewildered as to who these people were because there must have been more than a thousand. As I looked closer at the pictures and around the wall I realised it was as if the people on the wall were being stalked. Different pictures of the same person, then another and then another. The pictures were dated and had times to go with them; the aura of the room was really eerie.

I looked the other side of the room and to my horror I saw a picture of Griffin but next to Griffin I saw pictures of me. Not just one picture but a sea of pictures of me with Alice, a picture of our house, us in Italy with David and Millie and Griffin, Alice and I in the school before Alice was attacked. Next to the picture were Alice's phone number and what I assume was Millie's which proves that they traced the call to find Alice. A shrill came up my spine urging me to leave but as I was about to… I saw a picture of another familiar face. It was my mum...


	20. Chapter 19 - War raging

I traced my finger along the picture and noticed a date from about a month ago. My mum looked as beautiful as I remember her being, every flawless feature of her face but then I noticed another picture. It was my mum from the day after the other picture which was also a month ago but there was an X over her picture. It doesn't take a genius to realise that the X meant she was dead and if that wasn't confirmation enough the caption was, 'on the run for 13 years for being in the paladin resistance by association'. I decided to rip the picture of the wall; I guessed that I would ask Sophie about it later but I just needed to get out of this creepy room.

I retreated to the door but trod on what seemed to be a broken version of their electric weapons. I gripped it in my head, slipped out of the room and ran down the corridor. While running a weird sense of Déjà vu hit me and I was running down the same corridor but a woman was holding my hand. I wasn't the age I am now, I must have been about 5 and there was a woman pulling me along begging me to run faster or I won't be safe. I suddenly felt dizzy but I kept running because in my reverie I kept running. Before I knew it I barged into the room which David was being held in; I walked in to Griffin, David and Sophie who were talking quite intimately.

'So you didn't know I was your half-brother this whole time?' David questioned. There were a couple more unconscious paladins on the floor so I'm guessing they did have company.

Sophie who was about to break into tears said, 'No, I wouldn't have let them touch you if I did know'

'That didn't stop our mother' David complained, 'she could have helped me!'

'There's a very high cost for helping jumpers… I should know' Sophie whimpered. 'She had no choice'

Griffin put his arm around Sophie comforting her, 'I'm sorry I didn't believe that you helped me… and Jamie'

'It's okay' she smiled, 'After everything I can understand that' She rested her head on his shoulder and I suddenly wondered what happened in my absence that brought everyone so close.

'How's Millie?' David questioned when I approached them.

'She's doing okay, she's in the hospital' I confirmed.

Griffin squeezed my shoulder, 'I'm glad you're here. A lot more paladins are coming and we need you'

'I hate to interrupt' a voice from behind us interrupted. Before I had the chance to tell Griffin about the creepy surveillance room, we all turned around and what awaited us was a sea of paladins with various weapons. In that moment we all looked at each other but we all looked determined appose to feeling defeated.

As if a scene for a movie we charged at each other and fought each other; punches were flying and kicks swinging. I never realised how many different types of paladins there were; races, heights and fighting technique. The paladin that I was fighting had jet black hair and kept aiming punches at my head but I dodged every one. It didn't help that we couldn't jump in this room but Griffin and I made the most of it.

I grabbed my paladin's arms and swung him in Griffin's direction in response Griffin knocked him out with an electric rod. Now that's what you call team work, I thought to myself. Another paladin came at me with a gun but the gun didn't look like a pistol or a handgun it was bright blue and at the end facing me there was a blue light shining at me. I didn't know what the gun was capable of so my instincts told me I had to get rid of it. I held my hands up and said, 'Woah, easy with that'

The paladin smiled at me callously still pointing the blue weapon towards me, I took a step forward and smiled mischievously at the paladin. Then jumped into the air and kicked the gun into his face causing the paladin to fall straight to the ground.

'You make this way too easy for me' I smirked. I turned over to look at Griffin who made my karate skills look intermediate; he was fighting two paladins at a time elbowing them both in the face then smashing them to the ground. Griffin was invincible and you could tell that this is what he did best; he'd only been hit a few times. David however seemed to be hit more times as his nose was bleeding but him and Sophie were working together. David would hold one down while Sophie hit them with their own weapons. As I was examining the rest of the room a paladin knocked me onto the ground with his electric rod which sent shrills of electricity through my body. He started relentlessly beating me paralysing me with the blinding pain. The paladin knelt next to me laughing bitterly and I thought he was going to kill me until Griffin wrapped his arms around his neck and strangled him to death.

I lay on the ground temporarily motionless and surveyed the room again and it seemed like the war was over. Paladins limp on the floor and the jumpers still stand strong… well strong enough. Sophie advanced towards me and gently caressed my forehead underneath my hair. I forced a smiled onto my lips in return to her compassionate gesture. It was now that I had a better look at Sophie and Griffin they both looked tired and beaten but I could see the shine of victory in their eyes.

'Will he be okay?' Griffin asked Sophie.

'Yeah he will be, the weapon the paladin used on him is a temporary paralysing rod' a voice from behind us said it was a woman's voice.

'Mum?' Sophie and David said together.

'Hello…' Mary answered. Mary turned to David and continued, 'you should leave. Now… the General will be here soon and after that I can't help you'

'You didn't help him anyway Mum, you let him be tortured and on my watch' Sophie accused her mother with pain in her voice.

'I couldn't do anything about that-' Mary coughed not being able to finish her sentence.

'David, Sophie and Jamie can go… but I'm going to meet this General guy'

'That's not advisable…' Mary muttered, 'Sophie can't go with you'

'I can do what I want, Mum and I'm going with Griffin' Sophie said ignoring her mother.

'If you're not with us, you're against us' Mary said sternly.

'Well then I'm against you.' Sophie retorted.

'Fine, I'll lose you too' Mary muttered to herself and then turned around to leave but before she left she turned round again and said, 'I suggest you leave now… or you won't be about to leave'

Although Mary was trying to sound as if she was warning us but her voice made it seem like a threat. The numbness in my body ceased and I was able to move so I sat up slowly. When I did I noticed that Sophie had her hand over Griffin's hand as she watched her mum walk out the door and out of her life.

After Mary left there was silence to allow David and Sophie time to think and compose themselves; I used the time to stretch out my bruised body. While stretching I looked up and at the door were two girls, they were wearing paladin uniform but they looked too innocent to be paladins.

'Who are they?' I said smiling almost in a daze by their cuteness, I was in awe. They looked older than me maybe about 24 but something about them made them look younger than I am.

'Watch out for them…' Sophie muttered in fear.

Griffin and I burst out laughing at the fear in her voice and Griffin said while laughing, 'those two girls couldn't hurt a fly let alone us'

'I wouldn't be so sure' and as if Sophie activated them the two girls walked towards us with the paralysing weapons in their hands. It was the way they walked it was like a waltz but a creepy slow waltz; but the worst thing was we didn't move we just watched as it happened.

We were hypnotised by the two identical girls, they looked like the same girl but their features differed slightly and then the girl on the right raised her weapon and struck down with full force on Griffin's head. This brought everyone out of their trance.


	21. Chapter 20 - The General

My vision was obscured by nausea and my eyelids felt like weights over my eyes and it was a struggle to move even the slightest muscle contraction brought pain. Through my foggy vision I could see the paladin twins still grasping their weapons with authority and on their left was Sophie. Their positions gave the impression that they were on the same team but Sophie's eyes betrayed her and the twins' dismissal to her presence was clear. The twins who looked innocent a few moments ago have completely transformed in my eyes; their angelic features now were hard eyes and pursed lips. I never met their glare but I felt it on every inch of my body but their glare was also blazing on Griffin and David. Griffin was trying to fight the invisible restrains that trapped him to the ground but it just made him fatigue so he gave up. David seemed subdued and submissive it was as if he hadn't even tried to move; his body was curved inwards. I think I was in between Griffin and David's mentalities because I had given up but I did try whereas David hasn't tried and Griffin once in a while tries to move.

'I think they are ready for the General now' one of the paladin twins snarled.

'Yeah, I think they are' the other paladin laughed, 'but can you ever be ready to meet such a man?'

'Let's find out' the first paladin twin smirked, 'you go and get him I'll stay with… her' Even the way they referred to Sophie was as if she was beneath them but how can that be when Sophie was being saluted and respected before. As I wondered upon this my eyes trailed to Sophie and the bruising under her right eye. This injury confused me because when I punched her it was weeks ago the bruising would have faded but it hadn't which means it was recently. Also I'm right handed so my dominant fist is my right but a right fist would hit a person's left side; so the person who hit Sophie must have been left handed.

'That's probably best' the second paladin twin agreed and continued with a warning 'but watch out for her… I don't trust her.'

'Neither do I, don't worry' the first paladin twin looked at Sophie in disgust while her twin stalked out. After her twin left the room the paladin twin's look of disgust faded and a look of worry replaced it. 'Sophie… what are you playing at?' her voice was soft and compassionate towards Sophie which shocked me.

'I didn't know they were going to come back and what was I supposed to do? The blonde one's my brother, he's the boy I'm in love with and the last is my friend…' Sophie nearly broke down.

'He's going to kill all of them' the paladin twin said coldly, 'no mercy towards jumpers… just stop loving them and it'll make it less painful'

Sophie stared at the clueless paladin, 'you can't just stop loving the people you care about and even if you could… I wouldn't'

'Your funeral' the paladin dismissed her.

'It'll be your funeral' Griffin spat at the paladin twin; her face was bemused then twisted into anger.

'How come you can talk? The paralyzing electricity shouldn't have worn off yet' the paladin questioned raising her staff toward Griffin. Sophie pulled her back, 'it hasn't worn off yet, they still can't move'

'Let go of her, traitor' the other paladin twin called from the door.

Everyone looked towards the door in anticipation and slight nervousness to see the reveal of the General; a fictional figure who has haunted us without being seen.

Mist clouded the door and out of the fog stepped the twin paladin who stood next to her sister and simultaneously they stood up straight and clutched their weapons. It was scary how when they are together it is as if they press a button and synchronize. That was when the General entered; he was huge with muscles busting out of his arms and legs. His tight green vest top was tight around his body; he was wearing black shorts which matched his black straps around his fists and huge army boots. His brown skin was glittered with sweat and his lips were curved into a smirk but it was a dark and evil gesture.

For a moment it was silent and then The General started laughing which broke the tense silence even the paladin twins raised an eyebrow at his approach.

'The bodies of my finest men are on the floor right now and the people who put them there were brought to their by none other than my girls' The General scoffed, 'Well they are rather brilliant aren't they?'

He looked towards the paladin twins and their cheeks reddened in response to the praise.

'I think that's a lesson learnt jumpers… everyone falls sooner or later your entire filthy race falls. Even Griffin… oh the almighty Griffin; the way my brother used to talk about you it was as if you were unstoppable but I knew you weren't you have weaknesses like the rest of your kind' The General's voice was sardonic and narrative as he spoke down to us.

Griffin was trying his hardest to move but the invisible retrains on his body made it impossible so he calmed down and retorted, 'Who's your brother?' Although Griffin asked the question it was almost as if he knew the answer already because he didn't react to the answer.

'Roland, of course' The General took a moment for that information to sink in, 'funnily enough you've all met Roland and let's just say they were never friendly encounters'

'I've never met Roland-' I slowly felt the retrains on my jaw loosen but I pretended that it still hurt.

'Oh but yes you have and your mother tried to kill him but then again so has Griffin; the only one who succeeded was David and he didn't even fight him' The General's voice quivered slightly and then he composed himself again, 'when I found my brother he was just a shrivelled skeleton'

The General marched towards David, 'you left him there to die without putting up a fight you coward!'

'He tried to kill my girlfriend' David said as insouciantly as he could manage with The General a couple inches away from his face.

'If it wasn't for your mum… I would have killed you' The General said causing an obvious shiver through David.

'You – You said my mum tried to kill him' I choked, 'I don't under-stand'

'Maybe you don't remember because you were only 5 years when it all happened so let me bring you up to speed' The General coughed, 'You were captured by a few of my men and they brought you here because your mum had been trying to hide your powers from us. We tried and tried but you wouldn't jump anywhere but we were sure you were a jumper because we'd seen you do it before and that's why you were captured. We realised after that it was your mum who had been telling you not to jump and to pretend so that we would let you go. One day Roland heard your mum's little speech to you and he tried to kill your mum who defended herself quite well. She stuck a knife into his shoulder and grabbed your hand and you two ran away. Roland called for people to stop you two but suddenly you both disappeared at the end of the corridor.'

'Typical jumpers… always running away' one of the paladin twins said and they both laughed in unison.

'Yes they are that's all they can do' The General mocked, 'but the story has a happy ending… his mum is dead'

Even though my body was still numb I shot up adrenaline in my veins and run at full speed into The General screaming in anger and pain. His twisted words had given me the strength to avenge my mother and I was ready. Ready to kill him…


	22. Chapter 21 - Epic Fight Sequence

My futile attempt to fight The General failed; at first my attack was unexpected so I thought I could take him off his feet but before I knew it he had grabbed hold of my shirt with a tight fists and had flung me against the wall.

I heard the sound of my fragile back slamming against the hard wall and my bones crying and weakened by the impact before I felt the pain that followed. The wind blew out of my lungs and I coughed dryly and melted to the ground. I was in agony my body crippled over I knew I would be immobile for a while but through seeing my pain The General started to laugh stalking towards me. There was a paladin body next to me and I could see the lifelessness in his eyes, I shifted my eyes and saw a knife in the belt around his waist. I looked away sharply not to draw attention to the weapon I just saw and instead looked at The General.

'Jumpers have the power but no skill' The General gripped my shoulder and pulled me up to expose my chest and pounded my chest with his hard fist. My ribs and insides started to ache and weaken as The General continued to click his knuckles against my chest.

Each punch caused Sophie to wince I could just make out the tears in her helpless eyes but after the forth blow to Griffin's chest she let out a cry, 'STOP! You're going to kill him'

A twisted grin scolded The General's face, 'that's what I intend to do. Are you going to stop me, Sophie?' His question sounded rhetorical but he still waited for Sophie's reply; her body stiffened as she willed herself to speak.

'I will stop you' she said, her voice hard but her lips were quivering. The General dropped Griffin as if he was weightless but the thud he made when he landed on the ground suggested otherwise.

'Sophie, don't…' Griffin pleaded with pain and emotion as his façade he presents to everyone faltered. Griffin now had a vulnerability to him which I have only seen once before when he was describing his past.

The General cocked his head to Sophie and then down to Griffin, 'my brother always told me, "to love is to destroy yourself in the name of someone else" and you are a prime example of that' The General's face softened and he looked at Sophie with genuine concern all the evilness disappeared off his face, 'can't you see that Sophie? It's destroying you! Are you really ready to leave us for – for him?'

'Yes' her voice was strong and certain.

The General took her reply like a slap to the face, 'your family have been a part of this organisation for years and you are ready to destroy all of that!?'

'They're not the reason your brother is dead, just let them go and – and I'll stay' Sophie said but her words made the conversation seem private and personal.

'This isn't about my brother' The General paused, 'this is about your loyalty. He left you once, you really think he won't do it again because once you leave not even your mother will want anything to do with you'

Sophie winced. 'They're not the heroes Sophie, they never were. You knew it would come down to this and you even helped plan this… so why are you stopping now when we are so close?'

'What is he talking about?' Griffin asked the question we were both thinking.

Sophie gave The General an almost pleading look as if to say, 'don't tell them' but in response a dark smile returned to his face and he turned around to face Griffin. Sophie in a panic response pulled by The General by his shoulder but her attempt barely moved him; he shrugged her off and continued towards Griffin. Sophie bit her lip as The General knelt next to Griffin patronisingly, 'Sophie has been in on it the whole time; she's helped me track you and she's helped me follow your every move. She wanted – no begged me to kill you and all because you broke her heart. How cute'

'Fuck you' Griffin spat at The General as if his words hadn't hurt him but I could see the flicker of pain in his eyes.

'We were always one step ahead of you, always. The last time you were here we put a tracking device on you and we knew where you were. We were watching you spend time in Italy when Griffin was in the hospital, we heard you scream at night as the dreams tortured you but the tracking device faltered because of the electricity caused by your jumper damaged it. See where my brother thought the best strategy would be to isolate the jumper until they had nothing left like a deadly predator catching its prey. I know that the best strategy is to give the jumper hope and make them feel as if they have succeeded in some way before pulling the table cloth from under their feet and cleared their cloudy vision. Then and only then will they be truly be defeated to point at which they would beg for death' The General's sinister words mixed in the air.

'You're a sick, twisted man' Sophie shuddered, 'I will never work with you again. I would rather die'

The General ignored Sophie's words as if she hadn't spoken, 'That's what I did with you, Jamie'

'What did you do with me?' I asked blood spurting out as I spoke. When I thought of The General I assumed that the scariest thing about him would be his impossible muscles or his authority but the scariest thing about him is the way he speaks. It is as if he is telling a story a thought out and planned story and only he knows how it will end. It is passed belittling; it's as if his calm voice but hard words have glued me to the floor. While The General was distracted with Griffin I had reached for the knife I saw earlier and have it clutched in my hand behind my back. The knife wouldn't be enough to kill The General I contemplated but it would be enough to hold him down hopefully.

'I first showed you that I could take away someone you loved, with ease' The General teased.

'My uncle…' I whispered in shock.

'Good you are keeping up and then I had the opportunity to take away the only other person in your life' The General sounded almost seductive as he purred the words.

'Alice-' I choked with insufficient breath to make the croak heard.

'Yes, dear Alice' The General seemed to have heard me, 'I knew she would be there alone and I sent in an agent with the instruction that he must not kill her but leave her so close to death that it would break you. Unfortunately, he died but that gave you even more hope which was perfect. Don't you see Jamie, I fed you false hope and within one day you've come straight to me?' The General scoffed, 'straight to your death'

Anger and furiousness flushed through my veins at the thought that I was part of a plan – that Alice was ultimately part of a plan. I squeezed the knife in my palm and like a flash in one swift motion stabbed The General right in his heart; I held the knife in his body and watched the colour leave his skin. Out of nowhere Griffin came with an iron bar and swung it around The General's head – I guess I wasn't the only one eyeing a weapon. The relief from Griffin after the impact of the bar had knocked The General straight to his feet; he fell and curled up on the floor.

Swiftly, Griffin turned to the twins with a crazy ire in his eyes they instantly knelt down not wanting to start a lost fight. Sophie routinely laid them on the ground and chained them with the handcuffs in their belts. Griffin remained sturdy with the bar in his hand ready to attack; his wrist flinched towards the twins as he decided whether or not to strike them.

'Don't, Griffin…' Sophie soothed, 'we should just leave them and go'

The madness flickered through Griffin's eyes but slowly he calmed down, 'okay… let's go'

'I need to show you this room, Griffin' I tried to explain suddenly remembering, 'they these pictures of me and Alice and my mum'

Sophie's cheeks flushed and her jaw hardened so I made a mental note to ask her afterwards.

'What are you talking about Jamie?' Griffin questioned.

'Don't worry, let's jump outside this room because we can't jump from inside here' I rambled on.

Griffin holding Sophie headed towards the door before I followed I stopped and looked at the odd couple as the exited through the door. I put my hand in my pocket and felt the picture of my mum that I had taken from the wall of the surveillance room; questions burned my mind but I silenced them and walked towards the door.

'Do you think he's dead?' I asked Griffin looking back at The General.

'Maybe…' Griffin thought, 'but maybe not'.


End file.
